A normal blowout
The Rockets report, brought to you by APG&E: Rockets pummel short-handed Warriors in San Francisco 135-105
Feb 21, 2020, 12:23 am
When the Rockets traded Clint Capela and their 2020 first round pick for Robert Covington at the trade deadline, nights like this is what they envisioned. Defensively, they have versatility to switch effectively and the quickness to double and recover when necessary. Offensively, they have a spaced floor for James Harden and Russell Westbrook to attack the rim uninhibited and make defenders pay with three-point shooting for doubling. To be fair, this was a pretty weak opponent, but the execution and effort from Houston was there in a way that could lead them to success against better opponents.
The Rockets were on fire from three-point range in the first quarter and that continued on for the rest of the night (25 of 49 from three-point range - 51.0%). The open looks they were getting from normal drive and kicks stood out and probably highlighted why Golden State is in the position they are this season.
.@Holla_At_Rob33 doing work with 20 points! https://t.co/pQzh2BIHe1— Houston Rockets (@Houston Rockets) 1582261925.0
New additions Robert Covington and Jeff Green both looked pretty good tonight, combining for 37 points and 9 rebounds on 13 of 20 shooting from the field and 9 of 15 shooting from three-point range. It's just one game, but it looks like Green will take the backup center role away from Thabo Sefolosha, with Sefolosha and DeMarre Carroll likely on the edges of the rotation. There's still plenty of time to get a clearer picture though. Overall, Houston's pivot and commitment to micro-ball at the trade deadline seems to be paying of.
Star of the game: James Harden was a team-high +32 for the Rockets in addition to having 29 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He didn't shoot the ball well is (6 of 16 from the field and 3 of 12 from three-point range), but because he got to the line a lot (14 of 15 from the charity stripe) he managed to have a true shooting percentage of 64.2%, giving him the edge over Russell Westbrook for tonight.
GQ Connection 💥 #AssistOfTheGame @BBVA_USA | #CreatingOpportunities https://t.co/y0gH1HoLmF— Houston Rockets (@Houston Rockets) 1582265409.0
Honorable mention: Russell Westbrook continued his pre-All-Star-break hot stretch tonight, tallying 21 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, and a steal on 10 of 20 shooting from the field and 1 of 2 shooting from three-point range. He was fast, he was springy, and he was effective at poking holes in an already very weak Warriors' defense.
Key moment: The Rockets outscored the Warriors 38 to 17 in the first quarter and it was pretty much over from there. Houston shot a blistering 8 for 12 from three-point range while Golden State shot a measly 0 for 6. They looked like a team that was foaming at the mouth for the All-Star break to be over. James Harden looked as sharp as he's ever been this season on both ends (11 points, 5 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal), Russell Westbrook carried his pre-break momentum into the game (9 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 4 of 9 shooting from the field), and the Rockets were getting and hitting open shots from all over the floor.
Up next: The Rockets travel to Utah on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. to play the Jazz.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. 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 now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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