Sub-optimal

The Rockets report, brought to you by APG&E: Rockets fall to Golden State 116-103

Salman Ali
Dec 25, 2019, 8:12 pm

This is a bad loss for the Rockets - there's no getting around it. Losing to a Warriors' squad without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on Christmas Day is about as embarrassing a loss as you're going to get in the NBA. It wasn't just that Houston lost - it was the manner in which they lost.

This game boiled down to a couple things: the Rockets' failing to respond to the Warriors' doubling and trapping James Harden and Houston's poor defensive effort. The Rockets have seen double teams all year so there's no reason for them to be frazzled by it at this point in the season. However, Russell Westbrook could not seem to get it going in the first half (6 of 17 from the field and 0 of 3 from three-point range) and the Rockets simply could not hit shots. James Harden shot 6 of 10 from three-point range, but everyone else combined for 10 of 41.

Houston's defense was also porous all game, particularly Clint Capela. Capela's rim-protection was about as bad as you're going to find and as a result, only played 29 minutes. He ended the game a -20 and the Rockets quickly shifted to their lineups with P.J. Tucker at center. Even with Tucker at center, the Rockets still couldn't get it together defensively and as a result, the Warriors made them pay with their fourth quarter run.

Star of the game: James Harden is probably the only Rocket that played well tonight. Harden logged 24 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals on 9 of 18 shooting from the field and 6 of 10 shooting from three-point range. However, Harden could only attempt 18 field goals because of the Warriors' aggressive trapping and doubling scheme.

Honorable mention: This is a rough. I suppose you can say Russell Westbrook played the least bad among the non-Harden Rockets'? Westbrook had 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists on 11 of 32 shooting from the field, 0 of 8 from three-point range, and 8 of 8 from the free throw line. This game ends the high efficiency streak Westbrook has been on for the prior 7 games.

Key moment: The fourth quarter is really where the Rockets let go of the rope. Usually in a game like this, the underdog team is going to make a run at some point in the game and for the Warriors, that was the 3rd quarter. It is up for a team like Houston to take the onus upon themselves and respond big in the fourth quarter. However, the Rockets folded. They let their poor defensive habits carry over into the fourth (113.6 defensive rating tonight) and they couldn't knock down open shots. The Warriors outscored the Rockets' 24-17 and Houston could not buy an open jumper if it was free.

Up next: The Rockets return home to Houston at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday to play the Brooklyn Nets.

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Houston is back in the win column

McCullers Jr. spins a gem as Astros get a much-needed win over Giants

Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images

After getting swept by the A's in Oakland to end a road trip with a five-game losing streak, the Astros returned to Houston to try and get back on track. To do so, they'd need a win against the Giants on Monday night. Here is a quick recap of the series opener:

Final Score: Astros 6, Giants 4.

Record: 7-9, second in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Lance McCullers Jr. (2-1, 6.10 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Logan Webb (1-1, 2.81 ERA).

Houston builds up an early lead

The early goings of Monday's game went very similar to the last time Lance McCullers Jr. took the mound. He would have a terrific first three innings while his offense gave him an early lead. The first run came in the bottom of the second, with Yuli Gurriel reaching base on a one-out double, moving to third on a wild pitch, then scoring on an RBI-single by Carlos Correa.

Correa would take part in a four-run inning in the third, as Houston would score two on a two-RBI ground-rule double by Michael Brantley, another on an error, then Correa's second RBI of the night, a groundout to bring in a run and make it 5-0. Unlike the last start in Arizona, where the roof opened and McCullers Jr. fell apart in the fourth, he was able to make quick work of his opponent for a 1-2-3 frame. As he kept recording scoreless innings, Martin Maldonado added another run to the lead with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, making it 6-0.

McCullers Jr. takes a no-hitter into the seventh

While the Astros were building their lead, McCullers Jr. was spinning a gem on the mound. He allowed just one baserunner through the first six innings, which came on a hit-by-pitch. He entered the seventh with a no-hitter in progress, but the Giants would get their first hit of the night to end the no-hit bid.

Regardless, the start was precisely what McCullers Jr. needed to restore his confidence after the disastrous inning he had in his last appearance. He would go on to complete the seventh inning before Houston would go to the bullpen with the large lead in the eighth. His final line: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K 0 HR, 1 HPB.

Houston gets back in the win column despite more struggles by Josh James

Josh James entered out of the bullpen for the top of the eighth but allowed the first run of the night for San Francisco via a solo home run with one out to make it 6-1. He would complete the inning and then return for the top of the ninth. He would have another rocky inning, issuing a leadoff walk before a single and double would make it a four-run game at 6-2, still with no outs in the inning and runners on second and third, prompting another call to the bullpen.

Dusty Baker would bring in his current closer, Ryan Pressly, to try and finish the game, now in a save situation. Pressly would retire the first two batters he faced before allowing a two-RBI single to make it 6-4, but would eventually get the final out to get Houston the much-needed win. With the victory, the Astros moved back into second place in the AL West standings.

Up Next: The middle game of this three-game set will start Tuesday at 8:10 PM Central. The Giants, working with a fluid rotation, have not yet fully decided on their starter, while the Astros will get another start from Brandon Bielak (2-0, 0.87 ERA) who will look to repeat the success of his five-inning, no-run start in Arizona last week.

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