Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

James Harden and Chris Paul combined for 65 points on over 50% shooting in Miami as the undermanned Rockets (40-13) finished off a perfect four-game road trip with an improbable 109-101 victory over the Heat (29-26).

The Rockets, off to their best start in franchise history, have now caught the Warriors (41-13) in the loss column for the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Houston holds the tiebreaker after winning two of three in the regular-season series.

Our postgame show examines those leading angles and much more, including an injury update as Ryan Anderson (ankle) and Eric Gordon (back) each sat out with minor issues. With Houston not arriving to its Miami hotel until 3:45 a.m. local time, Mike D'Antoni opted not to push any of his regulars with nagging injuries on a back-to-back scenario and on reduced sleep.

On the second half of the show (25:40), we preview tomorrow's trade deadline and the potential for any movement by the Rockets — including potential small moves involving the likes of Tarik Black and Troy Williams, as well as why trading Anderson now probably isn't necessary to pursue LeBron James this summer.

Reminder: Wednesday's show is sponsored by Draft. Go to Draft.com or download the Draft app and use the promo code LOROCKETS, and play in a real-money fantasy basketball draft for free.

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Led by 36 points from James Harden, the Rockets survived a valiant effort from the host Nets and blew open Tuesday's game late in a 123-113 win at Brooklyn.  Now 39-13, the Rockets are off to their best start through 52 games in franchise history and have won nine of their past 10 games since Harden's return from a hamstring injury.

Our postgame show breaks down all the key storylines, headlined by remarkably efficient efforts from Harden (11-of-23 FG) and Chris Paul (25 points, 8 rebounds, 9-of-15 FG) on a night when the Rockets' lethargic defense needed it most. Harden also passed the 15,000-point milestone for his NBA career in the victory.

We also explore the right ankle sprain suffered by Ryan Anderson and the roles of Gerald Green (18 points, 6-of-8 FG in 18 minutes) and Eric Gordon (13 points, 5-of-9 FG in 28 minutes returning from a back injury) off the bench in filling those minutes. 

#Rockets #NBA #Nets

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Play-by-play broadcaster Craig Ackerman joins us from Brooklyn for his regular segment. Topics include the Rockets’ revived defense and the roles of James Harden and Luc Mbah a Moute in it; injury updates on Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza; potential buyout strategies; and the Xs and Os of how Chris Paul and Ryan Anderson have given Houston (38-13) a more diverse offense on its current four-game road trip.

#Rockets #NBA

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Led by Chris Paul (+47 in 27 minutes) and Ryan Anderson (+39), the Rockets posted one of their biggest statement wins of the 2017-18 season with a 120-88 victory over LeBron James' Cavaliers in Cleveland on Saturday night.

Coupled with Golden State's loss in Denver, the Rockets (38-13) are now only one game back of the Warriors (41-12) in the loss column in the race for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs — and Houston holds the tiebreaker.

Our postgame show breaks down that race and all other key angles. These include how Houston's usage of Paul (22/11/8) could serve as a template for a future partnership pitch to LeBron; the importance of yet another strong defensive performance; and why Anderson's bounce-back showing (21/8) could very well secure his short-term future in Houston.

#Rockets #NBA #LeBron #Cavs

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James Harden led the way with 28 points and 11 assists while Ryan Anderson, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela each had key moments, allowing the Rockets (37-13) to cruise to a 102-91 win in San Antonio over the rival Spurs (34-20).

Anderson (13 points) scored in double figures for the third consecutive game for the first time since November, while Capela was instrumental in Houston's strong defensive performance with 13 rebounds and five blocks in his 35 minutes.

Paul (right groin soreness) returned after a one-game absence with 10 points in 30 gutty minutes, including a critical stretch of six in a row in the fourth quarter after San Antonio had cut the lead to 82-76. Eric Gordon (back) and Trevor Ariza (left hamstring) remained out, as expected.

Our postgame show breaks down all the key storylines, including the poise showed by Houston in controlling the game from the outset on the road and executing in the halfcourt against Gregg Popovich and one of the NBA's best defensive teams.

#Rockets #NBA #Spurs

Reminder: Thursday's show is sponsored by the MYBookie sportsbook. Go to MYBookie.ag and use the promo code LockedOnNBA, and MYBookie will match your deposit with up to a 50% bonus.

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James Harden led the Rockets (36-13) with a franchise-record setting 60 points (19-of-30 FG) as Houston won for the sixth time in seven games since his return with a 114-107 home victory on Tuesday night vs. Orlando. Harden also had 11 assists, 10 rebounds, and four steals, making him the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point triple-double.

As it turned out, Houston needed all of Harden's exploits to survive a sudden wave of injuries to key rotation cogs. Trevor Ariza (strained left hamstring) missed the first game of his expected multi-game absence, while Chris Paul (right groin soreness) sat out with what the Rockets believe is a brief precautionary measure. Eric Gordon exited early after just 10 minutes with lower back stiffness. Between those three players, the Rockets missed a combined 51 points per game in scoring production, along with double-figure averages in rebounds and assists.

Our postgame show includes analysis of Harden's historic night, updates on the injuries, and how Clint Capela (12 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 30 minutes) quietly came up with a solid showing when the undermanned Rockets badly needed it.

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The Clippers traded Blake Griffin to the Pistons in a blockbuster deal, so what does that mean for the Rockets? Tuesday's show features reaction from our Locked On hosts in Detroit (Matt Schoch) and Los Angeles (Lucas Hann) to the deal, along with analysis from our Ben DuBose on how the deal boosts Houston's first-round playoff odds and why it chips away at the anti-Chris Paul narratives dating back to his time with the Clippers.

#Rockets #NBA #Clippers #Pistons

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James Harden led the way with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists as the Rockets (35-13) bounced back from Friday's tough loss in New Orleans with a 113-102 victory over the Suns on Sunday afternoon, representing Houston's fifth win in six games since Harden's return. The Rockets have now tied the 1993-94 team for the franchise's best start through 48 games.

The game was marred by a left leg injury suffered by starting small forward Trevor Ariza, who left after only 36 seconds following a hard drive to the basket. Ariza crumpled to the ground and appeared to jam his leg on the fall after drawing contact from Phoenix big man Marquese Chriss. Head coach Mike D'Antoni said following the game that it was a hamstring issue for Ariza, adding that his status moving forward would be evaluated on Monday.

Sunday's postgame show examines the Harden and Ariza storylines and much more, including a long and largely unwatchable first half (45 combined free-throw attempts), an early exit by Chris Paul, and late signs of life from Ryan Anderson (13 points, including nine in the fourth quarter).

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Led by 38 points and 8 assists from Chris Paul, the Rockets (34-13) put up a valiant comeback after going down 21 midway through the second half at New Orleans (27-21). But ultimately, the early deficit proved a bit too large to overcome as Houston's rally came up just short in a 115-113 loss on Friday night.

In our postgame recap, we explore the defensive struggles that put Houston in such a big hole, starting with the role of Ryan Anderson (0 points in 14 minutes, -20 in plus/minus) and why his continued slump over the past 24 games may be putting his long-term role into question.

Other topics include encouraging signs from Paul and Eric Gordon (27 points, 10-of-15 shooting) in the comeback, as well as thoughts on the season-ending Achilles injury to the Pelicans' DeMarcus Cousins (15 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists) and its potential implications for Houston's playoff matchups down the road.

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Was Chris Paul (18.8 points, 8.8 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 25+ PER) an All-Star snub? I address that issue and much more in Thursday's off-day episode of Locked on Rockets, including an overview of the recent back-and-forth commentary between Clint Capela and Golden State's Kevin Durant.

Pelicans' writers Preston Ellis and Oleh Kosel of New Orleans' SB Nation affiliate join me to explore those issues as well as preview Friday night's game. How might Houston match up with the likes of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins up front? Tune in to find out.

#Rockets #NBA #Pelicans

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