ON THE COURT
Rockets Report: Team goes 2-1, wraps up regular season this week
Apr 9, 2018, 6:40 am
James Harden and Chris Paul are cruising to the playoffs. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
This week was all about refocusing and staying sharp while the murky Western Conference playoff picture begins to clarify itself. Challenging three potentially playoff bound opponents this week, the Rockets chased the Wizards out of the building before weathering ferocious Portland rally and falling to a desperate Thunder team. Houston has already clinched the best record in the league and has secured home court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time in Rockets franchise history.
Game 78: Rockets vs Washington Wizards (W, 104-120)
One of the most telling marks of a serious contender is a team’s ability to quickly shake off a poor performance, and Tuesday night the Rockets did just that. Having clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Washington Wizards came into town hungry to improve their seeding but were very quickly turned away at the door by a Houston team that was once again back to full strength. Houston lunged out to what would prove to be an insurmountable 71-49 first half lead. The remainder of the matchup was equally contested, but the damage had already been done. James Harden finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Clint Capela added 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Game 79: Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers (W, 96-94)
The last matchup between the Rockets and Trail Blazers was everything you’d expect a one versus three seed to be in terms of competitiveness, so there was some anticipation surrounding this game as far as how the Rockets would perform given last week’s lackluster effort. A 36-17 first quarter quieted that narrative almost immediately, as Portland was simply unable to keep up with the barrage of three-pointers converted by a freneticaly paced Rockets squad. Houston maintained a sizeable lead until about five minutes left, when sloppy play on the Rockets end helped trigger a 19-2 run and erase the lead. Counter-intuitive to the Rockets’ typical philosophy, it was not a three point shot that sealed the game, but rather a Chris Paul dribble-drive layup to pierce through the perimeter-heavy defense with 0.8 seconds left. It was only the seventh game this season the Rockets failed to surpass the 100-point plateau, and Houston is 3-4 in those instances. Paul led the team with 27 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists, while Harden followed with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Game 80: Rockets versus Oklahoma City Thunder (L, 108-102)
Houston’s luck would run out Saturday night against a hungry Thunder team that has yet to clinch a playoff spot in once of the tightest Western Conference races in recent memory. The matchup was a dogfight throughout, until the last few minutes when the Thunder went on an untimely 11-0 run to seal it, marking one of the few season series the Rockets have lost this year. Harden finished with 26 points and 9 assists.
Looking Ahead:
The Rockets finish the season this week, with their final two games against the playoff eliminated Lakers and Kings squads in a Tuesday/Wednesday back-to-back away stretch. The Rockets should use these next two games to tune up their playoff roster and rest whoever necessary. These last two games mean nothing, as the Rockets have already clinched home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Rockets are 2-1 against the Lakers this season and 2-0 against Sacramento, so it’s not a stretch to expect an undefeated final week en route to Houston’s first ever 66-win season.
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Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.
The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.
For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.
“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”
As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.
Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.
He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.
Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.
It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.
You can watch the full interview in the video below.
And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.
I’ve seen some speculation indicating that Joe Mixon may not be happy the Texans signed Nick Chubb. If that is what you believe, watch this clip from an interview with @greenlight pod last year & get back to me. pic.twitter.com/3vaip85esj
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 11, 2025
*ChatGPT assisted.
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