The Rockets Report
Rockets finally put some wins together, go 2-1 for the week
Nov 5, 2018, 8:12 am
James Harden returned this week. Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Rockets entered the third week of the season desperate to return injured players and even more desperate for a win. A Tuesday matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers would prove too difficult a task for the undermanned squad, but as players returned later in the week, so to did Houston into the win column. With their first winning week of the season and a current two-game win streak, the Rockets are now 3-5 on the season. Houston is now fourth in the Southwest Division and 13th in the Western Conference.
Game six: Houston vs Portland Trail Blazers (L, 104-85)
Houston resumed play on Tuesday hoping to capitalize on a tired Trail Blazers team finishing up the second part of a back to back series. The Rockets came out strong defensively, but their inability to convert offensively drug the pace of the game to a crawl resulting in a 19-15 Portland lead after one. Guard Damian Lillard would switch into a different gear in the second and the Trail Blazers would leave a thin Houston rotation still missing James Harden in the dust. Chris Paul led the Rockets with an inefficient 17 points, while Lillard and center Jusuf Nurkic each dropped 22 for Portland.
Game Seven: Houston at Brooklyn Nets (W, 119-11)
Friday night the Rockets traveled to Brooklyn for their most winnable matchup of the week. Even still, there was doubt that the Houston squad--who had up to this point proven nothing--could finally break out of their four-game skid. Early indications seemed to reinforce the concern as the Rockets once again fell behind early. Brooklyn seemingly scored at will as they fired at a 71.9 percent clip up until halfway through the second quarter. A Rockets timeout was called to regroup, and instead of strategizing, Paul waved off the coaching staff to address the team in his own. From that point on, Houston's defense clamped down and Brooklyn's field goal percentage dropped to 35.8. Houston would escape with a victory behind a 32-point performance from Paul and 28 from Carmelo Anthony.
Game eight: Houston at Chicago Bulls (W, 96-88)
The Rockets welcomed back James Harden to the lineup Saturday night to finish a back to back series against the Bulls, and his welcome return to the lineup was immediately felt. The first half was closely contested as both teams traded leads. In the third quarter, Harden took over and sparked an 11 point run of his own to pull away for good. Houston would run away with the victory behind Harden's 25 points.
Takeaways
Better together: The Rockets overall record may be 3-5, but when you look at the games where Harden and Paul are on the court together, Houston has a record of 2-1. This is proof still that the Rockets aren’t quite what their record suggests, although that’s not to say that their aren’t issues that need to be addressed.
Melo is warming up: After a slow start and what could only be assumed was an adjustment period to his new role, Carmelo Anthony has regained the offensive firepower he was brought into provide. In the past four games Anthony has averaged 19.3 points per game with a 48.3 percent field goal rate. Anthony was brought on to the Rockets to pour in points off the bench, and it looks like at the moment that’s exactly what’s happening
Looking ahead:
The Rockets will remain on the road most of next week as they face the Pacers Monday, followed by the Thunder Thursday, and the Spurs Saturday before returning Sunday to finish the week with their second look at the Pacers. The Rockets are slowly regaining their health and form, and a Houston squad with Harden in the lineup has to be taken seriously. The Rockets will face a real test against a tough Pacers team, but their matchup against a reeling Thunder squad looks winnable. The weekend back to back will be a daunting one as well, and until the Rockets prove that they can maintain their defensive intensity and get their shots to fall, I can't confidently expect more than two wins this week.
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The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!