Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

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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James Harden had a team-high 25 points and 13 assists as the Rockets (34-12) cruised through Dallas to win for the ninth time in their past 12 games.

Our postgame show explores all the key angles, headlined by a three-point barrage in which Houston made 21-of-51 threes as a team (led by 15 from Harden, Trevor Ariza, and Eric Gordon).

The recap episode also touches on continued strong defensive play from the Rockets, who have allowed below 100 points in three of their past four games (all wins). The lone exception was against Golden State (108), and in that one, Houston held the vaunted Warriors to just two points in the final 3:59 to close out the victory.

#Rockets #NBA #Mavs

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It wasn't pretty, but James Harden (28 points) and the Rockets (33-12) secured their third consecutive win and wrapped up a perfect homestand with a 99-90 victory over the Miami Heat at Toyota Center.

Our postgame show explores all the key storylines, including the clutch finish and yet another positive showing from Houston's defense. The Rockets' strong showing Monday comes after limiting the defending champion Warriors to just 17 points in Saturday's defining fourth quarter and holding the Timberwolves to only 98 points in the opener of the three-game homestand.

Other topics discussed include the return of Trevor Ariza from a two-game suspension; continued progress by Harden after his Grade 2 hamstring strain; the struggles of Eric Gordon; and the absence of Gerald Green from the rotation now that Mike D'Antoni has a full supporting cast at his disposal.

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Chris Paul scored a game-high 33 points on 50% shooting, while James Harden had two MVP moments in the final 80 seconds as the Rockets (32-12) completed a stirring fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 116-108.

The victory clinches the season series and potential tiebreaker for Houston with two wins in three games between the two teams. The Rockets have now won seven of their past 10 games coming off the five-game losing streak in late December.

Our postgame show examines all the key angles, headlined by the importance of the Rockets' impressive resiliency and why their confidence against the Warriors could pay dividends in May and June.

Other angles discussed include how both star Paul and Harden (22 points, 8 assists)were at their best against elite competition, even with the latter only 20 days removed from a Grade 2 hamstring strain; the importance of veteran role players like P.J. Tucker (12 points, 7 rebounds), Luc Mbah a Moute (14 points, 4-of-6 FG), and Ryan Anderson (13 rebounds in 30 minutes) in the team's collective toughness; and why Clint Capela (18 points, 7-of-12 FG) playing 30 minutes and finishing at the rim vs. Golden State's length is the latest positive step in his development. 

#Rockets #NBA #Warriors

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The Rockets (31-12) had one of their finest wins in weeks with a XXX-XX win over Minnesota (29-18), as Chris Paul and Eric Gordon had their usual strong production supplemented by a deeper supporting cast with the return of James Harden, Nene, and Luc Mbah a Moute to the lineup.

Thursday's postgame show explores the contributions of the returnees and how they may have positioned Paul and Gordon for even greater success by pushing them to more optimal roles. In addition, Ben explains why the win over the Timberwolves is particularly significant with two tough opponents (Warriors, Heat) due up in the coming four days.

#Rockets #NBA #Timberwolves

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In Thursday's show, our Ben DuBose gets together with Locked on Timberwolves host Colton Molesky to explore the Rockets-Timberwolves matchups and why it could very well be a playoff preview.

Players spotlighted include Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Jamal Crawford, while Rockets under the microscope include James Harden, Clint Capela, P.J. Tucker, and Luc Mbah a Moute in the absence of Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green (suspension).

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Star guard and MVP frontrunner James Harden plans to return to the lineup on Thursday night vs. Minnesota (29-17), as the Rockets (30-12) seek to put even more separation between themselves and the rest of the Western Conference pack in the race for the No. 2 seed.

It's a miraculous recovery just 18 days after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain, but is it too soon? In Wednesday's episode, Ben explains why he's trusting the Houston medical staff on this diagnosis and expecting Harden to return to his usual production levels (32.3 points, 9.1 assists per game) relatively quickly.

Other topics on Wednesday's show include reaction to the news of two-game suspensions for Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green following Monday's postgame incident in Los Angeles, along with a rundown on the latest round of rumors connecting Clipper big man DeAndre Jordan to the Rockets.

#Rockets #NBA #Clippers

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The Rockets (30-12) had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Clippers (22-21) in Los Angeles on Monday night in a game marred by Blake Griffin's apparent intentional contact with Mike D'Antoni and a postgame skirmish between the two teams.

Chris Paul led the way with 19 points (8-of-17 FG) for Houston and also posted seven assists and six rebounds in his return to Staples Center, but 60 combined points from Griffin and former Rocket Lou Williams were tough to overcome.

The No. 7-seeded Clippers have now won 11 of their past 14 games, including a 19-point victory at Golden State last week, and would play the Rockets in the first round if the season ended today.

Our postgame show breaks down all the key storylines, including implications of the altercation, subpar shooting from perimeter shooters like Eric Gordon and Gerald Green, and a disappointing defensive effort on the interior from Clint Capela (10 points, 7 rebounds, 28 minutes). 

#Rockets #NBA #Clippers

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The Rockets (30-11) won 112-95 in Phoenix on Friday night, extending their current run to three consecutive victories and five in their last seven games — including the last six without James Harden.

Our Locked on Rockets recap explores all the contributing factors to the blowout win — headlined by a bounce-back shooting night from forwards Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson. Each posted matching 18-point stat lines on 6-of-12 FG, including four made three-pointers for both players.

Other highlights include P.J. Tucker's team-best +22 in the plus/minus; a monster night for Clint Capela (17 points, 16 rebounds) on the interior vs. Tyson Chandler; continued brilliance from Chris Paul (25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists on 50% FG), and how the return to form of the forwards offset a regression from Eric Gordon and Gerald Green (combined 8-of-33 from the field).

#Rockets #NBA #Suns

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Chris Paul and Eric Gordon combined for 67 points Wednesday and outgunned one of the NBA's best backcourts in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum (53 points combined), leading Houston to a 121-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers (22-19) at Toyota Center.

It's the fourth win in six games for the Rockets (29-11), five of which have been played without James Harden. Wednesday's triumph also represents the first win by Houston against an opponent with a winning record since Harden's departure with a Grade 2 hamstring strain.

Oour Locked on Rockets recap explores the exploits of the veteran guards and much more — including under-the-radar contributions from Ryan Anderson and P.J. Tucker and the absurdity of the postgame controversy over Paul's final layup in the closing seconds.

#Rockets #NBA #Blazers

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