Rockets Recap
Harden continues to make history as Rockets split four-game week
Jan 14, 2019, 7:06 am
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Four games, two wins. That was the story of the Rockets this past week as they split the four games scheduled. One of the wins was expected, while the other was necessary. On the other hand, one of their losses was understandable while there was no excuse for the other. Houston is now 24-18, first in the southwest division, and sixth in the western conference.
Postseason feel
The beginning of the week served up two grade-A match ups against the Western Conference leading Denver Nuggets and the league leading Milwaukee Bucks. If there was ever a moment to take stock of the legitimacy of the Rockets' current hot streak, this was it. Monday the Rockets delivered a win in a matchup that, while close, never really felt out of hand. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic did everything he could to keep the Nuggets competitive, but P.J. Tucker, Gerald Green, and James Harden's combined 19 3-pointers proved to be too much to overcome. Clint Capela added a career-high 31 points
Wednesday the Rockets took on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in a prime time nationally televised showdown between two of the leagues top MVP candidates. The back and forth contest didn't disappoint as Antetokounmpo went for 27 points and 21 rebounds, while Harden countered with 42 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. It was the Bucks who would come out on top, however, as they rode a 38-23 third quarter to the finish line. Despite the loss, it's become clear that Houston is perfectly capable of competing with any team in the league on any given night.
Statements and head scratchers
Friday night Houston hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers and while a win was reasonably expected, no one imagined that it would turn into the trouncing that it did. The 141-113 devastation of Cleveland could have been worse had the Rockets not sat most of their starters for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Harden continued his brilliance with another 40+ point triple-double. His 43 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists was one for the record books.; a triple-double in less than 30 minutes.
Sunday was a different story however, as the Rockets interrupted their home stand for a quick away game against the Orlando Magic. Houston's momentum hit a wall as the team went cold from the 3-point line when it mattered most. Despite a historically awful game from beyond the arc, Harden still finished with 38 points. It was the 16th straight 30+ point performance from Harden, tying Kobe Bryant's record from the 2002-2003 season. The loss came as somewhat of a surprise after a week of great production against quality opponents.
Looking ahead
Houston will look to right the ship immediately, as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night, followed by a Wednesday match up against the Brooklyn Nets and a nationally televised contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
The Rockets should see the return of Eric Gordon to the lineup at some point in the coming week, and his scoring should serve as a boost to the Rockets' depth. Chris Paul remains out and it looks like he will continue to be out until the end of the month. Despite both players being sidelined, I don't see any reason why Houston can't sweep this week.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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