Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

As the regular season wraps up and Houston appears set in its No. 3 seed, what's left to look forward to? Salman Ali, managing editor of Red Nation Hoops, joins us to explore the importance of this weekend's nationally-televised Thunder game to James Harden's MVP campaign and two matchups with the top-seeded Warriors next week.

#Rockets #NBA #Harden #MVP

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With the Rockets (49-22) off until Friday, we're resuming our Rockets Mailbag segment. This edition includes questions on the optimal usage for veterans Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon, as well as inquiries on longer-term outlooks for Clint Capela and Troy Williams.

#Rockets #NBA #RocketsMailbag

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For the third time in five games, the Rockets (49-22) won another close one in Monday's 125-124 triumph over Denver. We examine encouraging signs in Houston's crunch-time execution, including winning plays from James Harden, Nene, and Pat Beverley — as well as a brilliant decision by Mike D'Antoni NOT to call timeout in the closing seconds. We also recap another positive night of scoreboard watching, with Utah's loss giving Houston a 6-game lead for the West's No. 3 seed and Russell Westbrook's struggles boosting Harden's MVP argument.

#Rockets #NBA #Harden #MVP

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The Rockets (48-22) were exhausted on the second night of a road back-to-back in Denver's high altidude. But led by yet another 40-point triple-double from likely MVP James Harden, they still dug deep and got it done with a 109-105 victory. We examine one of the guttiest wins yet of the 2016-17 season, led by Harden's remarkable night and efficient bench performances from Nene, Eric Gordon, and Lou Williams.

#Rockets #NBA

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We break down Houston's massive 139-100 win over the Lakers and their future playoff prospects with Kelly Scaletta, featured columnist for FanRag Sports and Bleacher Report. Kelly examines the Xs and Os of Houston's historic offense and explains why he believes James Harden and the Rockets (47-21) might be even better positioned for a championship push than most believe.

#Rockets #NBA

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As Houston's schedule finally lightens, could some extended bench options earn PT? We catch up with rookie Kyle Wiltjer (interview at 10:13), who explains his development as a rookie, his collegiate background and NCAA bracket picks, and what it's like to play on an NBA contender and learn from the likes of Ryan Anderson and James Harden.

#Rockets #NBA #Gonzaga

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How relevant was Sunday night's statement win for the Rockets (46-21), both from a confidence perspective and James Harden's MVP campaign? We break it all down with Seth Payne, the morning host for Houston's SportsRadio 610 and a former Houston Texans defensive lineman. Seth and Ben also explore favorable playoff matchups for Houston and what the Rockets should focus on most over the final 15 regular-season games, led by further integration for Lou Williams.

#Rockets #NBA #Harden #MVP

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Most Houston fans think James Harden deserves the NBA's 2016-17 MVP, but WILL he actually win it? On an off day for the Rockets, Ben dives into the numbers and explains why he thinks the odds are strongly in Harden's favor to bring home the award.

#Rockets #NBA #MVP

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In a possible MVP coronation for James Harden (38 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds), the Rockets (46-21) came up with one of their biggest wins of the season. Despite going down 14 early against LeBron James and the defending champs, the Rockets showed the heart of a legitimate contender in fighting back. We examine how the Rockets climbed the mountain, including a dynamic closing stretch in the fourth quarter with crucial effort plays from Harden, Pat Beverley, Nene, and Ryan Anderson.

#Rockets #NBA #Cavaliers

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The Rockets (45-21) snapped their two-game losing streak in a big way in Friday's blowout in Chicago, led by Ryan Anderson's brilliant return from injury (21 points, 6-of-12 on 3s) and a suffocating defense in the 2nd and 3rd quarters (when Chicago scored 30 points combined). Ben offers his takeways on the feel-good win, as well as why sudden injury issues in San Antonio and Golden State (Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge) could be opening the door for Houston.

#Rockets #NBA #Bulls

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