Showing posts with label Sam Dekker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sam Dekker. Show all posts
Report: Sam Dekker Suffers Fractured Left Hand
Mark Berman has reported that Rockets forward Sam Dekker suffered a broken left hand in Sunday’s win against the Phoenix Suns. The injury took place during a fourth quarter collision with Suns guard Devin Booker. The timetable for Dekker’s return is three to four weeks, which would roughly be in the middle of the first round of the playoffs.
https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/848740779006857216
This injury isn’t coming at the greatest time for the Rockets. Ryan Anderson is still out with an ankle injury, so there isn’t much wiggle room at the forward position. Luckily, newly acquired Troy Williams was able to have the game of his life Sunday night. Expect to see him have a lot of minutes as the Rockets have five games left in the regular season. Him and Montreal Harrell will both have to fill the void while Anderson and Dekker are recovering from their injuries.
The Rockets will want Dekker to be able to play during the playoffs. He’s been in a slump recently, but he has contributed well throughout the season with his athleticism, rebounding and perimeter shooting. Dekker is currently averaging 6.5 PPG and 3.7 RPG on the season. Hopefully, he will be good to go in a month and help the Rockets have a deep playoff run.
Jazz 115, Rockets 108 - Hit Your Shots
The Utah Jazz seem to be poisonous to the Houston Rockets. Much like last time the two teams faced off, the Jazz looked like an elite team with deadeye shooters, and the Rockets looked like an overachiever who hit a brick wall. Both sides were missing key players (Derrick Favors, George Hill for Utah, Ryan Anderson for Houston), but the biggest no-show on the night was Houston's shooting stroke, embodied by James Harden's disastrous 0-8 showing from behind the arc. The Rockets have to hit their shots to win against quality opponents. It's meaningless, but also true.
Rockets 109, Celtics 120 - Rockets frustratingly fall in Boston
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Following a tough loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday that saw Houston allow 59 points in the paint, the Rockets allowed 64 points in the paint to the Boston Celtics on Monday for an extremely frustrating loss. Without the aide of Eric Gordon (who was a late scratch due to tightness in his lower back) and the defensive effort needed to contain Isaiah Thomas, the Rockets lost again – dropping six of the last nine games.
After missing their first six shot attempts, the Rockets hit four in a row to build an 11-point lead. Boston would follow that with a 7-0 run to take a 13-11 lead. Boston made their run on the backs of several missed shots from the Rockets, including a missed corner three from James Harden that saw Harden fail to get back on defense while arguing with a referee – a sign of the frustration to come for Harden and the Rockets.
Ryan Anderson had himself a very good first quarter offensively, scoring nine points on only two shots from the field (he hit four free throws, signaling his early aggressiveness to score near the basket). The Rockets as a team, however, only hit on 36.4% of their field goal attempts – and only 25% from the three-point line. Nonetheless, the Rockets managed to hold a 27-24 lead by the end of the opening period.
The second quarter was much better for the Rockets offensively, even if some of the made field goals were extremely lucky (looking at Corey Brewer and Sam Dekker for their unorthodox spin-move buckets). Houston managed to build an 11-point lead early in the second quarter, as the second unit hit 82% of their field goal attempts (9/11).
Tensions flared in the TD Center after back-to-back charge calls (one for each team) and a lane violation on a Clint Capela free throw that led to Jonas Jerebko getting called for a technical foul. After Capela missed the free throw, the Rockets retained possession after the ball went out of bounds. On the very next play, Corey Brewer drove to the lane and was knocked off course midair by Jerebko, hitting his head hard on the parquet court.
The game ground down to a halt towards the end of the second period, thanks to continued foul calls and a Marcus Smart technical foul after he fouled Harden on a drive to the basket. Amidst all the turmoil, the Rockets held a 58-52 lead going into halftime.
The third quarter opened with both teams trading a shot from beyond the arc, but the Celtics regained the lead following a 13-0 run. The Rockets managed to hang in with the Celtics, even though stretches of the third quarter was about as ugly as basketball can be. For the Celtics, Jae Crowder scored 12 points in the quarter and Isaiah Thomas had quietly pushed his scoring total up to 25. Trevor Ariza drained four threes in the period, and the Rockets went into the fourth quarter down 88-86.
Houston opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, punctuated by a deep Ryan Anderson three. Then, Isaiah Thomas (the best 4th quarter scorer in the NBA) absolutely took over this game. He scored 13 of his 38 points and dished out five of his nine assists in the final period, and the Celtics would yet again build a double-digit lead before the game ended.
With 5:12 left in the game, a strange situation happened between James Harden and Jonas Jerebko after Marcus Smart tried to draw an offensive foul on Harden. Harden hesitated, realized he had a lane to the basket with Smart out of the picture, drove on Jae Crowder, and drew a foul. Harden, world-renowned flopper, flailed his arms out and (unintentionally, depending on which fan base you ask) threw a hand back and hit Jerebko in the face. Harden was called for a flagrant foul, and Isaiah Thomas absolutely took over – leading the Celtics on a 13-2 run. The game was all but over.
Despite the numbers (30 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds), James Harden had a miserable game. He committed seven bad turnovers, shot 33% from the field (2/11 from three), and let his frustrations get the best of him. Without the firepower Eric Gordon brings to this team, the Rockets needed Harden to be more efficient and, given the team's recent struggles, a better leader. Frustration clearly set in, especially when Harden and Sam Dekker were caught jawing at one another, but it also looks like this team is clearly tired. The schedule has not been easy lately and losing only compounds upon that misery.
The Rockets next look to disrupt #TheProcess on Friday when they head to Philadelphia to take on Joel Embiid and the red-hot 76ers (yes, that’s a real sentence I typed).
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Wednesday’s game ball goes to Sam Dekker, I guess.
At the end of the day, this was yet another bad game for the entire team – a theme for 2017 so far. Harden put up the only impressive numbers, but Dekker brought the efficiency that Patrick Beverley brought on Monday. Dekker scored 15 points on 50% shooting, which isn’t anything to write home about. However, given the Rockets frustrating play as of late, Dekker’s battle through the “rookie wall” is encouraging. Despite the argument with Harden towards the end of the game (tensions were high, that’s going to happen), Dekker’s an important piece for this team – especially come playoff time.
Here’s to hoping Dekker can take more and more of Corey Brewer’s minutes with every passing game.
Following a tough loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday that saw Houston allow 59 points in the paint, the Rockets allowed 64 points in the paint to the Boston Celtics on Monday for an extremely frustrating loss. Without the aide of Eric Gordon (who was a late scratch due to tightness in his lower back) and the defensive effort needed to contain Isaiah Thomas, the Rockets lost again – dropping six of the last nine games.
After missing their first six shot attempts, the Rockets hit four in a row to build an 11-point lead. Boston would follow that with a 7-0 run to take a 13-11 lead. Boston made their run on the backs of several missed shots from the Rockets, including a missed corner three from James Harden that saw Harden fail to get back on defense while arguing with a referee – a sign of the frustration to come for Harden and the Rockets.
Ryan Anderson had himself a very good first quarter offensively, scoring nine points on only two shots from the field (he hit four free throws, signaling his early aggressiveness to score near the basket). The Rockets as a team, however, only hit on 36.4% of their field goal attempts – and only 25% from the three-point line. Nonetheless, the Rockets managed to hold a 27-24 lead by the end of the opening period.
The second quarter was much better for the Rockets offensively, even if some of the made field goals were extremely lucky (looking at Corey Brewer and Sam Dekker for their unorthodox spin-move buckets). Houston managed to build an 11-point lead early in the second quarter, as the second unit hit 82% of their field goal attempts (9/11).
Tensions flared in the TD Center after back-to-back charge calls (one for each team) and a lane violation on a Clint Capela free throw that led to Jonas Jerebko getting called for a technical foul. After Capela missed the free throw, the Rockets retained possession after the ball went out of bounds. On the very next play, Corey Brewer drove to the lane and was knocked off course midair by Jerebko, hitting his head hard on the parquet court.
The game ground down to a halt towards the end of the second period, thanks to continued foul calls and a Marcus Smart technical foul after he fouled Harden on a drive to the basket. Amidst all the turmoil, the Rockets held a 58-52 lead going into halftime.
The third quarter opened with both teams trading a shot from beyond the arc, but the Celtics regained the lead following a 13-0 run. The Rockets managed to hang in with the Celtics, even though stretches of the third quarter was about as ugly as basketball can be. For the Celtics, Jae Crowder scored 12 points in the quarter and Isaiah Thomas had quietly pushed his scoring total up to 25. Trevor Ariza drained four threes in the period, and the Rockets went into the fourth quarter down 88-86.
Houston opened the fourth quarter with an 11-0 run, punctuated by a deep Ryan Anderson three. Then, Isaiah Thomas (the best 4th quarter scorer in the NBA) absolutely took over this game. He scored 13 of his 38 points and dished out five of his nine assists in the final period, and the Celtics would yet again build a double-digit lead before the game ended.
With 5:12 left in the game, a strange situation happened between James Harden and Jonas Jerebko after Marcus Smart tried to draw an offensive foul on Harden. Harden hesitated, realized he had a lane to the basket with Smart out of the picture, drove on Jae Crowder, and drew a foul. Harden, world-renowned flopper, flailed his arms out and (unintentionally, depending on which fan base you ask) threw a hand back and hit Jerebko in the face. Harden was called for a flagrant foul, and Isaiah Thomas absolutely took over – leading the Celtics on a 13-2 run. The game was all but over.
Despite the numbers (30 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds), James Harden had a miserable game. He committed seven bad turnovers, shot 33% from the field (2/11 from three), and let his frustrations get the best of him. Without the firepower Eric Gordon brings to this team, the Rockets needed Harden to be more efficient and, given the team's recent struggles, a better leader. Frustration clearly set in, especially when Harden and Sam Dekker were caught jawing at one another, but it also looks like this team is clearly tired. The schedule has not been easy lately and losing only compounds upon that misery.
The Rockets next look to disrupt #TheProcess on Friday when they head to Philadelphia to take on Joel Embiid and the red-hot 76ers (yes, that’s a real sentence I typed).
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Wednesday’s game ball goes to Sam Dekker, I guess.
At the end of the day, this was yet another bad game for the entire team – a theme for 2017 so far. Harden put up the only impressive numbers, but Dekker brought the efficiency that Patrick Beverley brought on Monday. Dekker scored 15 points on 50% shooting, which isn’t anything to write home about. However, given the Rockets frustrating play as of late, Dekker’s battle through the “rookie wall” is encouraging. Despite the argument with Harden towards the end of the game (tensions were high, that’s going to happen), Dekker’s an important piece for this team – especially come playoff time.
Here’s to hoping Dekker can take more and more of Corey Brewer’s minutes with every passing game.
Game Preview: Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans
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After winning their 8th game in a row at the expense of the Kings, the Rockets, sitting at 19-7, get ready to face the New Orleans Pelicans. The Rockets are led in both scoring and assists by James Harden, at 27.6 points and 11.4 assists, and in rebounding by Clint Capela, who pulls in 8 rebounds a game. The Rockets now rank 3rd in offensive rating, 17th in defensive rating, and 6th in net rating.
The Pelicans come into Houston a day after moving to 9-18 in a win over the Pacers. The Pelicans are led in scoring and rebounding by Anthony Davis, at 30.7 points and 11.4 rebounds, and in assists by Tim Frazier, at 6.5 assists. The Pelicans rank 25th in offensive rating, 14th in defensive rating, and 22nd in net rating.
Starting Lineups
The Rockets are likely to continue to start with James Harden at point guard, Patrick Beverley at shooting guard, Trevor Ariza at small forward, Ryan Anderson at power forward, and Clint Capela at center, with Eric Gordon getting starter’s minutes.
The Pelicans continue their tradition of being hit hard by injuries, with Tim Frazier, Dante Cunningham, and Quincy Pondexter likely to miss Friday's game. The Pelicans opened their last game with Jrue Holiday at point guard, rookie Buddy Hield at shooting guard, Solomon Hill at small forward, Anthony Davis at power forward, and Alexia Ajinca at center, with Moore, Galloway, and Terrence Jones playing over 20 minutes off the bench.
Three Things to Watch
Prediction and Tip-Off
The Rockets are the hottest team in basketball now, with the longest active win streak in the NBA, and I expect that streak to grow against the struggling Pelicans, as Eric Gordon continues his hot streak and Ryan Anderson finds his way out of his slump.
Tip-off will be at 7:00 P.M. Central Time in Houston on Friday, December 16th. The game will be televised on ROOT sports, with the radio broadcast on Sports Talk 790-AM.
After winning their 8th game in a row at the expense of the Kings, the Rockets, sitting at 19-7, get ready to face the New Orleans Pelicans. The Rockets are led in both scoring and assists by James Harden, at 27.6 points and 11.4 assists, and in rebounding by Clint Capela, who pulls in 8 rebounds a game. The Rockets now rank 3rd in offensive rating, 17th in defensive rating, and 6th in net rating.
The Pelicans come into Houston a day after moving to 9-18 in a win over the Pacers. The Pelicans are led in scoring and rebounding by Anthony Davis, at 30.7 points and 11.4 rebounds, and in assists by Tim Frazier, at 6.5 assists. The Pelicans rank 25th in offensive rating, 14th in defensive rating, and 22nd in net rating.
Starting Lineups
The Rockets are likely to continue to start with James Harden at point guard, Patrick Beverley at shooting guard, Trevor Ariza at small forward, Ryan Anderson at power forward, and Clint Capela at center, with Eric Gordon getting starter’s minutes.
The Pelicans continue their tradition of being hit hard by injuries, with Tim Frazier, Dante Cunningham, and Quincy Pondexter likely to miss Friday's game. The Pelicans opened their last game with Jrue Holiday at point guard, rookie Buddy Hield at shooting guard, Solomon Hill at small forward, Anthony Davis at power forward, and Alexia Ajinca at center, with Moore, Galloway, and Terrence Jones playing over 20 minutes off the bench.
Three Things to Watch
- Defense coming through – The Rockets have moved out of the bottom ten defenses recently, due to their great defensive play in December. Over the 8 games the Rockets have played in December they rank 3rd in the NBA in defensive rating. Watch to see if the Rockets continue to put pressure on one of the worst offenses in the NBA.
- Revenge game x 2 – Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson are both getting ready to face their old team for the first time. Watch to see if either, or both, step up their game to try and burn their old team.
- Sam Dekker keeps getting better – After a promising start to the season, Sam Dekker has only gotten better. The near-rookie (only 6 minutes played last season before his injury) is coming off of a career-high, 19 point game, and is shooting 39% from 3 and over 60% true shooting. Watch to see if Sam is able to keep playing at a high level over the remainder of the season.
Prediction and Tip-Off
The Rockets are the hottest team in basketball now, with the longest active win streak in the NBA, and I expect that streak to grow against the struggling Pelicans, as Eric Gordon continues his hot streak and Ryan Anderson finds his way out of his slump.
Tip-off will be at 7:00 P.M. Central Time in Houston on Friday, December 16th. The game will be televised on ROOT sports, with the radio broadcast on Sports Talk 790-AM.
Rockets 102, Thunder 99 - First. Team. All. Defense.
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The second round of the battle of the MVP candidates took place yet again from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as James Harden went up against former teammate Russell Westbrook in a tough game. The Thunder won the first matchup 105 – 103, but the Rockets would rebounded to win this one in an ugly, ugly affair.
The Rockets opened in an interesting fashion, getting Clint Capela involved as a scorer. He scored Houston’s first seven points off three made baskets in the paint (one of which was a tough hook shot over seven-foot-tall Steven Adams). Then, the Rockets went cold and the game would become an ugly slog for the rest of the first half. Houston only hit three of their first 11 shot attempts from the field, and went on to shoot just 33.3% for the first period (including only hitting one of seven from the three-point line).
Some early positives for the Rockets included the play of Patrick Beverley and Sam Dekker, two guys who will always bring energy to an ugly game. Beverley, arch nemesis of the Oklahoma City Thunder, brought the hustle early, snatching six rebounds (three of them on the offensive end), dishing out five assists, and forcing a steal. Also, in classic pesky Bev fashion, he drew a charge on Russell Westbrook on a routine inbounds play just 36 seconds into the game. That drew the ire of OKC fans in the building.
Sam Dekker continues to emerge as a rotation player in Mike D’Antoni’s offense, bringing a slashing skillset that has led to very athletic plays this season. Near the end of the first quarter, Dekker dropped the hammer in transition, posterizing Enes Kanter down to the hardwood.
The battle of the superstars would not get off to a good start, despite the first half numbers that had both guys on triple-double alert. James Harden posted eight points, six rebounds, and seven assists, but only shot 27% in the first half. In fact, Harden’s first field goal didn’t come until seven minutes into the second quarter, after a missed shot by Westbrook ignited a fastbreak opportunity.
Russell Westbrook, who went into Friday just one triple-double shy of tying Michael Jordan’s streak of most consecutive games with such a feat (seven games), recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists by halftime. He would record his seventh straight triple-double early in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets opened the third quarter on a 10-5 run, thanks to Capela hitting a couple of layups and Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson each hitting a three. Anderson, who has been in a shooting slump for several games now, hit three from beyond the arc in the period – helping the Rockets build a double-digit lead. Despite OKC cutting an eleven-point lead down to three, the Rockets finished the quarter up by nine (86-77).
Houston’s second unit opened the fourth quarter with incredible energy and defense. Montrezl Harrell (who was a great spark off the bench Friday night) played solid defense on the first two possessions of the quarter, and kept possessions alive on the boards. A defensive sequence saw Houston’s wings fly around the court to force OKC into a shot clock violation, building the Rockets’ lead to 13.
Following a controversial call that gave a ball that went off of Andre Roberson back to the Thunder, OKC went on a 10-1 run that cut Houston’s lead down to four. The Rockets went ice cold in the fourth, going scoreless from the field for over six minutes (they only scored 16 in the final period). The lead was eventually cut down to two and it looked like the Rockets were about to collapse.
The final three minutes saw a lot of action from the two MVP candidates as they traded baskets and free throws until there was 1:45 left in the game (the Rockets were up 98-97). Then, defense and hustle took over for both teams. Westbrook missed a layup, which led to Harden trying to draw a foul on a three-point attempt. There was no call, but Ryan Anderson hauled in the airball and converted a layup to give Houston a 100-97 lead. Westbrook was then fouled to get the score to 100-99.
On the next possession, Harden once again tried to draw a foul on a drive to the basket, but there was no call and OKC went on a fastbreak. Victor Oladipo missed the easy layup, but Nene couldn’t secure the rebound for the Rockets and OKC got the ball with 16.9 seconds left.
Patrick Beverley, who has a contentious history with Russell Westbrook (to put it mildly) played EXCELLENT isolation defense on Russ to force a bad airball. Ariza secured the rebound and got fouled as Houston’s bench hounded Beverley with cheers for making the stop. Ariza made both free throws, and OKC had one last chance to tie the game with five seconds left.
Anthony Morrow threw up an airball three-point attempt of his own and the rebound went to none other than Patrick Beverley. The Rockets escaped, despite a total collapse.
Despite both superstars putting up big numbers, neither guy played very well. Harden shot 26% from the field (18% from the three) and committed eight turnovers. Westbrook also committed eight turnovers and shot 32% from the field (missing all seven of his three-point attempts). This game came down to defense and winning the hustle plays.
The Rockets have now won five games in a row and ten of their last twelve. They’ll face this Thunder team again in Houston on January 5, 2017. Tomorrow, they head back to Houston to take on the floundering Dallas Mavericks.
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Friday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.
In a game with two MVP candidates, this game – and this whole season – rode on the wave of Beverley’s hustle and the heart he brings to this team. The Rockets have won ten of their last twelve, and it should be no surprise that those games coincide with Pat’s return from injury.
His numbers aren’t flashy (although, twelve rebounds is nothing to scoff at), but he was essential to the Rockets winning this game. He shut down one of the best players in the sport and fought to secure the final rebound of the game – much in the same way he secured this game ball.
The second round of the battle of the MVP candidates took place yet again from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as James Harden went up against former teammate Russell Westbrook in a tough game. The Thunder won the first matchup 105 – 103, but the Rockets would rebounded to win this one in an ugly, ugly affair.
The Rockets opened in an interesting fashion, getting Clint Capela involved as a scorer. He scored Houston’s first seven points off three made baskets in the paint (one of which was a tough hook shot over seven-foot-tall Steven Adams). Then, the Rockets went cold and the game would become an ugly slog for the rest of the first half. Houston only hit three of their first 11 shot attempts from the field, and went on to shoot just 33.3% for the first period (including only hitting one of seven from the three-point line).
Some early positives for the Rockets included the play of Patrick Beverley and Sam Dekker, two guys who will always bring energy to an ugly game. Beverley, arch nemesis of the Oklahoma City Thunder, brought the hustle early, snatching six rebounds (three of them on the offensive end), dishing out five assists, and forcing a steal. Also, in classic pesky Bev fashion, he drew a charge on Russell Westbrook on a routine inbounds play just 36 seconds into the game. That drew the ire of OKC fans in the building.
Sam Dekker continues to emerge as a rotation player in Mike D’Antoni’s offense, bringing a slashing skillset that has led to very athletic plays this season. Near the end of the first quarter, Dekker dropped the hammer in transition, posterizing Enes Kanter down to the hardwood.
We're just gonna leave this one here for you.... 7️⃣🆙 https://t.co/7y9pWDyQQA
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 10, 2016
The battle of the superstars would not get off to a good start, despite the first half numbers that had both guys on triple-double alert. James Harden posted eight points, six rebounds, and seven assists, but only shot 27% in the first half. In fact, Harden’s first field goal didn’t come until seven minutes into the second quarter, after a missed shot by Westbrook ignited a fastbreak opportunity.
Russell Westbrook, who went into Friday just one triple-double shy of tying Michael Jordan’s streak of most consecutive games with such a feat (seven games), recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists by halftime. He would record his seventh straight triple-double early in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets opened the third quarter on a 10-5 run, thanks to Capela hitting a couple of layups and Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson each hitting a three. Anderson, who has been in a shooting slump for several games now, hit three from beyond the arc in the period – helping the Rockets build a double-digit lead. Despite OKC cutting an eleven-point lead down to three, the Rockets finished the quarter up by nine (86-77).
Houston’s second unit opened the fourth quarter with incredible energy and defense. Montrezl Harrell (who was a great spark off the bench Friday night) played solid defense on the first two possessions of the quarter, and kept possessions alive on the boards. A defensive sequence saw Houston’s wings fly around the court to force OKC into a shot clock violation, building the Rockets’ lead to 13.
Following a controversial call that gave a ball that went off of Andre Roberson back to the Thunder, OKC went on a 10-1 run that cut Houston’s lead down to four. The Rockets went ice cold in the fourth, going scoreless from the field for over six minutes (they only scored 16 in the final period). The lead was eventually cut down to two and it looked like the Rockets were about to collapse.
The final three minutes saw a lot of action from the two MVP candidates as they traded baskets and free throws until there was 1:45 left in the game (the Rockets were up 98-97). Then, defense and hustle took over for both teams. Westbrook missed a layup, which led to Harden trying to draw a foul on a three-point attempt. There was no call, but Ryan Anderson hauled in the airball and converted a layup to give Houston a 100-97 lead. Westbrook was then fouled to get the score to 100-99.
On the next possession, Harden once again tried to draw a foul on a drive to the basket, but there was no call and OKC went on a fastbreak. Victor Oladipo missed the easy layup, but Nene couldn’t secure the rebound for the Rockets and OKC got the ball with 16.9 seconds left.
Patrick Beverley, who has a contentious history with Russell Westbrook (to put it mildly) played EXCELLENT isolation defense on Russ to force a bad airball. Ariza secured the rebound and got fouled as Houston’s bench hounded Beverley with cheers for making the stop. Ariza made both free throws, and OKC had one last chance to tie the game with five seconds left.
Anthony Morrow threw up an airball three-point attempt of his own and the rebound went to none other than Patrick Beverley. The Rockets escaped, despite a total collapse.
Despite both superstars putting up big numbers, neither guy played very well. Harden shot 26% from the field (18% from the three) and committed eight turnovers. Westbrook also committed eight turnovers and shot 32% from the field (missing all seven of his three-point attempts). This game came down to defense and winning the hustle plays.
The Rockets have now won five games in a row and ten of their last twelve. They’ll face this Thunder team again in Houston on January 5, 2017. Tomorrow, they head back to Houston to take on the floundering Dallas Mavericks.
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Friday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.
In a game with two MVP candidates, this game – and this whole season – rode on the wave of Beverley’s hustle and the heart he brings to this team. The Rockets have won ten of their last twelve, and it should be no surprise that those games coincide with Pat’s return from injury.
His numbers aren’t flashy (although, twelve rebounds is nothing to scoff at), but he was essential to the Rockets winning this game. He shut down one of the best players in the sport and fought to secure the final rebound of the game – much in the same way he secured this game ball.
Rockets 128, Nuggets 110 - Schedule Loss.... Wait, What?
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It’s been quite a week for the Houston Rockets by virtue of a crazy Friday-to-Friday five-game road trip. After handily beating the Kings and the Blazers, the Rockets were blown out by the Utah Jazz. Then, the Rockets played the best game of this young NBA season by impressively (and shockingly) beating the Golden State Warriors in double overtime.
If that wasn’t enough, the Rockets had to end this road trip on a back-to-back in Denver – one of the worst schedule occurrences an NBA team can face. Just ask CJ McCollum of the Portland Trailblazers…
The Rockets showed no signs of fatigue to start this game with Trevor Ariza immediately getting a steal that led to a fastbreak dunk from Clint Capela. Houston then proceeded to blow open a double-digit lead on the back of six combined threes from Ariza and Ryan Anderson, who has been hot as of late. Ariza contributed two more steals and Houston had the energy of a team on several days rest, not just a few hours of sleep. If anything, the Nuggets looked like the team that played a double-overtime thriller the night before. At the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led 42-33.
Fatigue started to settle in for Houston a little bit in the second quarter, and it was especially noticeable on the glass. Denver outrebounded the Rockets 35-27 in the first half, with most of the damage coming in the second quarter thanks to Kenneth Faried absolutely dominating Montrezl Harrell in the paint. After Denver had cut the Rockets lead to 5, Houston went on an 11-2 run and regained control of the game.
The game slowed down considerably due to both teams getting into early foul trouble, which actually helped the Rockets. The Rockets actually hit 16 of their 17 attempts in the first half (they’re averaging 16 made free throws per game).
Despite looking sluggish in the second quarter, the Rockets still managed 73 points in the first half – remarkable, considering what they’ve been through on this excruciating road trip. The Nuggets, led by Wilson Chandler’s 15 points (he finished the game with 24), weren’t able to gain much on the scoreboard as they went into halftime down by 10.
The second half belonged to the Rockets, running Denver out of their own gym. They ratcheted up the defense, forcing 16 turnovers in the game and holding Denver to just under 30% (9/30) from the three point line. On the other hand, the Rockets only committed 11 turnovers (a few of them in garbage time) and hit over 45% of their three point attempts (17/37). Houston won every relevant statistical category, except for rebounds; specifically, offensive rebounds thanks to the Nuggets setting the high mark for any NBA team this season with 23.
Houston had seven players score in double digits, led by James Harden (20), Eric Gordon (18), Ryan Anderson (18), and Sam Dekker (17). Harden also contributed seven assists and six rebounds, Clint Capela notched another double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza recorded 16 points and seven rebounds. This was a total team win, and the back half of a pair of games that will be talked about among Rockets fans for a long, long time to come.
There was a bit of an injury scare towards the end of the game as Trevor Ariza crumbled down to the hardwood in pain. He was immediately met by Houston’s training staff (and his teammates) and, after a few minutes, gingerly walked back to the locker room. ESPN’s Calvin Watkins reports that Ariza left the game with back spasms, a phrase that is sure chill Rockets fans to their very core.
This five-game road trip was the Rockets’ second such road trip of this NBA campaign, and marks the end of a brutal opening stretch that had Houston play away from Toyota Center in 14 of the first 20 games. Needless to say, this was an impressive team win, and now the Rockets find themselves with a home-heavy schedule the next few months (and the majority of this season).
The Rockets will play seven of their next nine games in Houston starting on Monday, when the Boston Celtics make a visit to Toyota Center.
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Friday’s game ball goes to Sam Dekker.
The Rockets are coming off what might be the toughest back-to-back on any team’s schedule this season, and they impressed in ways nobody expected. It would be totally fair to give the game ball to the entire team or Head Coach Mike D’Antoni or even General Manager Daryl Morey for putting all of this together. I'm just not going to go there... yet.
This ball is going to Sam Dekker because of his emergence as a pivotal role player for a team that hopes to do big things. He has steadily earned more playing time with each game, even earning crucial crunch time minutes in a tight game against the fear-inducing Golden State Warriors. On Friday, he set a career high in scoring with 17 points (on 54.5% shooting) and is part of this new winning attitude that the Rockets are cultivating.
This Rockets team is not only one of the funnest teams in the league to watch, but have proven their merit as one of the league's best with statement wins amidst a brutal schedule. There's something cooking in Houston, and it's not just James Harden.
It’s been quite a week for the Houston Rockets by virtue of a crazy Friday-to-Friday five-game road trip. After handily beating the Kings and the Blazers, the Rockets were blown out by the Utah Jazz. Then, the Rockets played the best game of this young NBA season by impressively (and shockingly) beating the Golden State Warriors in double overtime.
If that wasn’t enough, the Rockets had to end this road trip on a back-to-back in Denver – one of the worst schedule occurrences an NBA team can face. Just ask CJ McCollum of the Portland Trailblazers…
That altitude is real https://t.co/IqMsQqQhlg
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) December 2, 2016
The Rockets showed no signs of fatigue to start this game with Trevor Ariza immediately getting a steal that led to a fastbreak dunk from Clint Capela. Houston then proceeded to blow open a double-digit lead on the back of six combined threes from Ariza and Ryan Anderson, who has been hot as of late. Ariza contributed two more steals and Houston had the energy of a team on several days rest, not just a few hours of sleep. If anything, the Nuggets looked like the team that played a double-overtime thriller the night before. At the end of the first quarter, the Rockets led 42-33.
Fatigue started to settle in for Houston a little bit in the second quarter, and it was especially noticeable on the glass. Denver outrebounded the Rockets 35-27 in the first half, with most of the damage coming in the second quarter thanks to Kenneth Faried absolutely dominating Montrezl Harrell in the paint. After Denver had cut the Rockets lead to 5, Houston went on an 11-2 run and regained control of the game.
The game slowed down considerably due to both teams getting into early foul trouble, which actually helped the Rockets. The Rockets actually hit 16 of their 17 attempts in the first half (they’re averaging 16 made free throws per game).
Despite looking sluggish in the second quarter, the Rockets still managed 73 points in the first half – remarkable, considering what they’ve been through on this excruciating road trip. The Nuggets, led by Wilson Chandler’s 15 points (he finished the game with 24), weren’t able to gain much on the scoreboard as they went into halftime down by 10.
The second half belonged to the Rockets, running Denver out of their own gym. They ratcheted up the defense, forcing 16 turnovers in the game and holding Denver to just under 30% (9/30) from the three point line. On the other hand, the Rockets only committed 11 turnovers (a few of them in garbage time) and hit over 45% of their three point attempts (17/37). Houston won every relevant statistical category, except for rebounds; specifically, offensive rebounds thanks to the Nuggets setting the high mark for any NBA team this season with 23.
Houston had seven players score in double digits, led by James Harden (20), Eric Gordon (18), Ryan Anderson (18), and Sam Dekker (17). Harden also contributed seven assists and six rebounds, Clint Capela notched another double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza recorded 16 points and seven rebounds. This was a total team win, and the back half of a pair of games that will be talked about among Rockets fans for a long, long time to come.
There was a bit of an injury scare towards the end of the game as Trevor Ariza crumbled down to the hardwood in pain. He was immediately met by Houston’s training staff (and his teammates) and, after a few minutes, gingerly walked back to the locker room. ESPN’s Calvin Watkins reports that Ariza left the game with back spasms, a phrase that is sure chill Rockets fans to their very core.
Mike D'Antoni said Trevor Ariza left the game with back spasms. "He'll be alright," D'Antoni said. https://t.co/0DwYch0FfP
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) December 3, 2016
This five-game road trip was the Rockets’ second such road trip of this NBA campaign, and marks the end of a brutal opening stretch that had Houston play away from Toyota Center in 14 of the first 20 games. Needless to say, this was an impressive team win, and now the Rockets find themselves with a home-heavy schedule the next few months (and the majority of this season).
The Rockets will play seven of their next nine games in Houston starting on Monday, when the Boston Celtics make a visit to Toyota Center.
Game Ball
This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.
Friday’s game ball goes to Sam Dekker.
The Rockets are coming off what might be the toughest back-to-back on any team’s schedule this season, and they impressed in ways nobody expected. It would be totally fair to give the game ball to the entire team or Head Coach Mike D’Antoni or even General Manager Daryl Morey for putting all of this together. I'm just not going to go there... yet.
This ball is going to Sam Dekker because of his emergence as a pivotal role player for a team that hopes to do big things. He has steadily earned more playing time with each game, even earning crucial crunch time minutes in a tight game against the fear-inducing Golden State Warriors. On Friday, he set a career high in scoring with 17 points (on 54.5% shooting) and is part of this new winning attitude that the Rockets are cultivating.
This Rockets team is not only one of the funnest teams in the league to watch, but have proven their merit as one of the league's best with statement wins amidst a brutal schedule. There's something cooking in Houston, and it's not just James Harden.
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