ROCKETS ON A ROLL
Lance Zierlein: Daryl Morey started it, but I know how to finish it
Lance Zierlein
Mar 22, 2018, 6:47 am
Daryl Morey has put together a roster that can beat Golden State...If they listen to Lance. Rockets.com
Earlier this year in this very space, I tried to tell you that this Rockets team was a team you could trust. I implored you to look past the playoff failings of the past by James Harden and the rest of the Rockets. I asked that you recognize the roster composition and keep an open mind in analyzing and assessing this Rockets team as a brand new unit…. a unit that is designed to go deeper than any of Daryl Morey’s recent iterations.
Last night, the Rockets proved once again why it’s safe to jump on the bandwagon with a 115-111 win in Portland against a team that previously carried a 13-game win streak until the Rockets sent them and their fans home with sad face emojis on. It’s official. This team is different.
Built to guard
The addition of Chris Paul was obviously important because it spread the “alpha leadership” role from just James Harden to another player who is highly respected and highly competitive in Paul. That’s the obvious observation. However, the most important moves from an Xs and Os standpoint was when Morey added guys like P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute to go with Trevor Ariza as perimeter defenders.
The Golden State Warriors (and actually the Rockets for that matter) love to get teams by creating screen situations where defenders have to switch or fight over screens. When the Warriors are able to create a switch situation, they exploit the matchup with a one-on-one with one of their deadly shooters. In Mbah a Moute, Gerald Green, and Ariza, the Rockets have great length with the ability to switch and defend multiple positions.
In essence, the Rockets can go smaller and they can switch with most of their defenders and this just might be the kryptonite they need, along with an MVP in James Harden, to knock of the Golden State Warriors and grab Houston back-to-back titles in Houston (we are just going to skip over the Texans season if that is OK).
How to close
There are a few steps the Rockets need to follow to make this championship dream a reality. First and foremost, just finish what you started and capture the No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs. The Rockets now have a four-game lead over an injury-riddled Warriors team and that should stand as long as the Rockets don’t completely collapse.
If the Rockets lock up the top seed quickly enough, they can start to manufacture rest for James Harden, Chris Paul, Eric Gordon, and any other Rockets who are fatigued or needing rest. Keeping your core fresh and getting them healthy from any nagging injuries is something that many teams won’t have the luxury of doing.
Play your game for 48 minutes. That’s the final piece of the puzzle for the Rockets. For whatever reason, there is a league-wide habit of defaulting to one-on-one possessions that end in contested, long jump shots when the game gets into the final couple of minutes. Don’t do that, Rockets. Don’t do that, James Harden. You are having tremendous success with how you play basketball for the first 46 minutes so play the same way over the final two.
Daryl Morey has put together a Rockets club that is set to break organizational records and lead the franchise and city into one of the most anticipated postseasons in team history. If they simply follow my “how to close” rules, we’ll be setting up for another parade and tasting the tears of our vanquished opponents.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.