Houston Rockets Face Telling Stretch as Schedule Eases

Phoenix Suns Center Channing Frye dribbled up to the three-point line and stopped, with two Houston Rockets defenders waiting to snuff a potential fastbreak drive to the cup. With Luis Scola’s hand in his face and Carl Landry lurking, Frye rose up and drained his fourth three-pointer of the night.

Much of the Suns offense Wednesday had come easier than this, but the shot’s degree of difficulty further explained how and why the Rockets lost a third consecutive game for the first time this season.

Steve Nash piled up 26 points and 12 assists in the seemingly effortless way he usually does. Amare Stoudemire powered past helpless defenders for jams, spinning reverse layups, and plus one finishes. The Rockets could not stop the easy buckets, and because the Suns feed on those running opportunities, they could not force misses on the difficult ones, either.

One of Nash’s makes from outside the paint was so tricky even the best of H-O-R-S-E players would have struggled to connect without Aaron Brooks in his grille.

Frye hoisted 12 three-bombs and drilled six of them.

So goes life for the Rockets.

They should have won Saturday in New Orleans. They had no business winning in L.A., bricking seven free throws in the first half and shooting as if they were blindfolded. They could have won in Phoenix.

None of the other 29 teams has played a tougher schedule or more road games than the Rockets. A team missing Yao Ming and the Tracy McGrady of old emerged from a brutal opening stretch with a respectable 20-16 record.

For most teams, the telling portion of the schedule means the roughest. The Lakers, who played the most home-heavy and maybe easiest schedule in the league to start, will measure themselves after a several-week span in which they are the away team for 80 percent of their contests.

The San Antonio Spurs will do the same after their annual Rodeo Road Trip.

The Rockets know they are not on the Lakers level, despite giving the champs as much trouble as any foe this year. With that in mind and a postseason berth far from secure, Houston enters the stint that will define its season and perhaps decide its playoff fate.

The Rockets face sub-.500 squads at home in four of their next five. No team will play as many home games in January and February as Houston.

How this curious and undermanned but gritty club handles the so-called “easy” stretch will prove as vital as how it survived the rugged part.

If the Rockets managed to beat the Lakers once at Staples Center, the Mavericks at American Airlines Center, and the Jazz once at Energy Solutions Arena, shouldn’t they thump the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia Sixers, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Memphis Grizzlies at home?

All of those outfits, save Memphis, sport a losing record, and all of them visit Toyota Center in the next two months.

How the Rockets answer that question will go a long way toward determining their future fortunes.

If they can win at least half of the home games against winning teams and beat all of the losers, a victory total between 40 and 50 remains a possibility, as does a playoff spot, maybe even home court in the first round.

If Houston stumbles unexpectedly versus the bottom-feeders, 30-40 wins and the lottery seem more likely.

After a disheartening road trip, they cannot afford to look down on anyone.

Take a look at the January and February slate.

Sat 09	vs New York	7:30pm	KTXH		610 AM KILT
Tue 12	@ Charlotte	6:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Wed 13	vs Minnesota	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Fri 15	vs Miami	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Mon 18	vs Milwaukee	2:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Fri 22	@ San Antonio	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Sat 23	vs Chicago	7:30pm	FSNHOU	NBATV WGN America	610 AM KILT
Mon 25	vs Atlanta	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Wed 27	vs Denver	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Fri 29	vs Portland	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Sun 31	vs Phoenix	6:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
February	Opponent	Time	Local TV	Nat TV	Radio
Tue 02	vs Golden State	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Fri 05	@ Memphis	7:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Sat 06	vs Philadelphia	7:30pm	KTXH		610 AM KILT
Tue 09	@ Miami	6:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Tue 16	vs Utah	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Wed 17	@ Milwaukee	7:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Sat 20	vs Indiana	7:30pm	KTXH		610 AM KILT
Sun 21	@ New Orleans	6:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Wed 24	vs Orlando	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Fri 26	vs San Antonio	7:30pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT
Sat 27	@ Utah	8:00pm	FSNHOU		610 AM KILT

Career Nights All For Naught

The Rockets wasted career-highs from Carl Landry and Aaron Brooks—31 and 34, respectively—in Wednesday’s loss at Phoenix. The good news—if you can call any news after a loss good—is that both players faced hard double teams on several occasions.

Mere months ago many wondered how the Rockets could win with no players who commanded double teams. It says a lot about the improvements in Landry's and Brooks’ games that opposing coaches are throwing this much defensive junk at them.

With more doubles sure to arrive, especially when those lowly, defenseless squads come to town, Landry and Brooks must find ways to solve those riddles. Neither player had faced double coverage much, if at all, in college or the pros.

Bench Delivers Again

Landry scored 31 against the Suns to lead another outstanding night for the NBA’s most surprising bench brigade. The Houston reserves outscored their Phoenix counterparts 48-17 to stay amongst the five highest scoring benches in the association.

Chase Budinger added nine on 4-of-11 shooting, and David Andersen contributed five points.

Who knew?