Gut punch
The Rockets report, brought to you by APG&E: Rockets fall to Thunder in Oklahoma City 113-92
Jan 9, 2020, 11:32 pm
This is one of those games you try to forget about quickly otherwise it'll eat you alive. The Rockets, on a second half of a road back-to-back, looked absolutely gassed and lethargic against a really good Oklahoma City Thunder team. Defensively, they were lethargic (114.8 defensive rating), allowing 37 points in the first quarter alone. Offensively, they couldn't hit a shot if it was gifted to them on a silver platter (34 for 89 from the field, 11-40 from distance).
This was a bad loss and there's no excusing it. Yes, the Rockets were tired, but it shouldn't be overlooked that the Thunder had also played 4 games in 6 nights.
James Harden's struggles from the field carried over from the Hawks game into tonight as he only scored 17 points on 5 of 17 shooting from the field and 2 of 9 shooting from three-point range. Harden's only made seven field goals in his last six quarters of basketball. He'll likely bounce back Saturday against the Timberwolves, but he was no help for Houston tonight.
Clint Capela also had a rough night, logging only 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block on 3 of 8 shooting from the field. Head coach Mike D'Antoni revealed after the game that Capela is still dealing with a heel issue and may possibly miss Saturday's game in Houston.
In this end, this game did manage to provide a touching tribute to Russell Westbrook as Thunder fans greeted him with applause and 'MVP' chants every chance they could. Westbrook stated after the game how much it meant for him to return and the emotions he felt returning to his former team.
Russell Westbrook discusses his return to OKC: “So many great memories, great people. Obviously the best fans in t… https://t.co/sfG5jeJkxf— Michael Shapiro (@Michael Shapiro) 1578633579.0
Star of the game: Fittingly, Russell Westbrook was the only Rocket who played well tonight, logging 34 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds, on 14 of 26 shooting from the field and 5 of 6 shooting from the free throw line. It was obviously an emotional night for Westbrook, but he handled himself well buzzer to buzzer and tried to keep Houston within striking distance.
Russell Westbrook gets a really nice tribute video from his old team before the Rockets starters are announced. https://t.co/qW2qGRmMOx— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1578624333.0
Honorable mention: This was tough. I suppose Chris Clemons (14 points in 12 minutes of garbage time on 5-9 shooting from the field and 3 of 6 shooting from deep) was the least bad of the non-Westbrook group? The bottom line is nobody had a particularly positive impact outside of Westbrook tonight. On the second half of a road back-to-back, the Rockets were gassed and it showed.
Key moment: The game was essentially over after the first quarter. The Thunder took a strong 37-21 lead and the Rockets never recovered. Oklahoma City shot 56.0% (14 of 25) from the field and 60.0% (6 of 10) from three-point range and Houston didn't have any energy to defend or hit jumpers. The Rockets shot 38.1% (8 for 21) from the field and 27.3% (3 for 11) from three-point range and the tone was set for the rest of the night.
Up next: The Rockets return to Houston to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Takeaways from the Astros’ series win over the Orioles
The bats carried the Astros to a series win over the Orioles. Houston scored 7, 10, and 9 runs in the first three games — and they needed every bit of that production to hold off a scrappy Baltimore team that kept fighting back. It was a sharp contrast from their previous series against Detroit, when the Astros managed only two runs across three games.
Over the past seven days, Houston’s offense has been middle-of-the-pack, ranking 12th in runs scored and 22nd in OPS, while the pitching staff has struggled with a 5.19 ERA, 24th in MLB.
Offense heating up
Carlos Correa has led the way during this stretch, hitting .370 with a .901 OPS. He’s been far from alone, though. Jesús Sánchez (.368 AVG, 1.032 OPS), Victor Caratini (.976 OPS), Yainer Díaz (.304 AVG, .820 OPS), and Christian Walker (.276 AVG, .921 OPS) have all delivered at the plate. The collective surge has been timely, giving the Astros’ rotation and bullpen some much-needed margin for error.
Can the bullpen hold up?
That margin might not last if the bullpen wears down. Bryan Abreu has been excellent, but his workload is becoming a concern. With Bennett Sousa landing on the IL with elbow discomfort, depth is thinner than ever. Houston hopes Craig Kimbrel — added from the Rangers’ minor league system — can provide another leverage arm. His debut was encouraging: no runs, two strikeouts.
Still, inconsistency looms. Cristian Javier continues to struggle with command. Javier recorded 10 walks over his 9.2 innings in his rehab starts with Sugar Land. Unfortunately, those control issues have followed him back to the big leagues. McCullers is dealing with the same issues, walking five batters in just four innings in his most recent start.
Walks have not only led to quick rallies, but also forced the bullpen to absorb heavy innings when starters can’t work deep. Javier's latest start against Baltimore was a prime example: spotted a five-run lead in the first, he immediately walked the first two batters and gave the runs right back in the first two innings. Then the bullpen had to cover the final seven frames. AJ Blubaugh really came through for the club, delivering four innings.
Patience with Javier
There may be a silver lining. Javier looked sharp in his first outing back from Tommy John surgery, and perhaps expectations were set too high too quickly. Manager Joe Espada has urged patience, reminding that bumps were always likely during the recovery process. The key for Javier — and for Lance McCullers, will be consistently throwing strikes.
MLB realignment thoughts
On a different note, realignment has been a popular topic this week. Personally, I like the Astros in the American League, where rivalries with the Yankees and Red Sox have added juice. The AL West isn’t the toughest division, which benefits Houston, though the late-night West Coast trips remain a grind. If a shift happens, it’ll come with trade-offs, but for now the AL feels like the right home.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode on Thursday!
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!