Healthy Houston Rockets Appear Ready to Roll and Other Saturday NBA Takeaways
Though power forward Terrence Jones remains sidelined by nerve problems, the Houston Rockets were as healthy as they've been in a while on Saturday night. Dwight Howard led them to a 108-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets with 26 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in just 30 minutes—a huge line in the eight-time All-Star's return from a right knee strain that had sidelined him for 11 games.
The Rockets went 8-3 during that stretch, but there's little doubt they're a much better team when Howard's available and playing this kind of basketball.
"I feel pretty good," Howard said after the game via NBA TV's coverage. "You know I'm still just trying to get my timing back and everything. It was a little rusty, but I'm just happy we got the win and just happy to be playing at home in front of our fans."
That hope turned out to be well-founded. Aside from a characteristically poor 8-of-17 night from the free-throw line, Howard was in top form and converted on nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.
His numbers were only part of the story. As the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen noted after the game, Howard "had the Nuggets shying away from the lane much of the game when he was on the floor and kept the Denver big men in near constant foul trouble."
It's the kind of all-around impact you might expect from a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
"I'm just thankful to be back out there," Howard told reporters before the game. "Nobody wants to sit on the bench in a suit and watch his team play. You want to get out there in the action.
"But I'm happy to be back out there, thankful. I thank God for just allowing me to be able to play again. I'm just happy to play again. That's the big thing."
And while it wasn't as big of a thing, it's worth noting the 29-year-old passed a milestone while attacking the glass this evening.
Howard becomes the third-youngest player to reach 10,000 rebounds behind Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell (h/t NBA TV).
Suffice it to say, Houston isn't the same team with 23-year-old Tarik Black manning the middle. The Rockets' somewhat surprising depth deserves its share of credit for the club's 18-5 start, but sustaining that success throughout the season will be significantly easier without injuries getting in the way.
Starting point guard Patrick Beverley played his fourth consecutive game, a good sign after missing 12 games on account of a hamstring injury he suffered against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 29. He noted some buzz around the club's improving fortunes.
"I don't see anything but good things to happen with Dwight," Beverley told reporters earlier on Saturday. "I'm excited. Our team is excited. Our coaching staff, they're very excited. I know our fans are excited. We're starting to get some healthy guys back. That's a big key right now."
Reserves Isaiah Canaan, Francisco Garcia and Kostas Papanikolaou remain sidelined along with Jones with various ailments, but Houston should stay hot so long as its two best players are on the floor.
Shooting guard James Harden has carried this team amidst the adversity, leading the league in scoring with 26.4 points per contest through his first 22 appearances. He finished with a triple-double on Saturday (24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists), showing off the versatility that's helped keep Houston among the league's elite.
His job will get a whole lot easier if Howard keeps producing like he did against Denver.
Around the Association
Warriors Streak to Win No. 15 Despite Authoritative Shoe Swat
New head coach Steve Kerr is off to the best start any rookie skipper's ever had in this league. His 20-2 Golden State Warriors won their 15th consecutive contest with a 105-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, building their title case with another quality victory against a would-be Western Conference contender.
Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 54 points and 11 assists, but it was the former's attempt to pass a shoe that led to some of the afternoon's most entertaining drama.
Attempting to return a loose sneaker to teammate Marreese Speights, Curry encountered some of Tyson Chandler's highly touted defense. The Mavs center is averaging 1.5 blocks per game this season, but his disruption of the shoe assist won't pad those statistics.
The loss marked Dallas' fifth against the West's top seven teams. It will have plenty more opportunities to change that trend, but questions about this club's title readiness may persist in the meantime.
Tobias Harris Ends Hawks' Streak at Buzzer
The Atlanta Hawks had won nine straight coming into Saturday night's game, but a pull-up jumper from Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris thwarted any hopes of adding to that streak. The 22-year-old secured the 100-99 win at the buzzer, just moments after Kyle Korver gave Atlanta the lead with a three-pointer.
It was Harris' second buzzer-beating game-winner this season after he broke a tie with the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 5.
Orlando is now 10-16 this season, two games behind the No. 8 seed Brooklyn Nets and eyeing a very real opportunity to crack the playoff conversation as the season unfolds. It's a young team, but wins like this are garnering some well-deserved attention.
Mike Conley Rides Career High to OT Win
The Sixers were up by 18 points with seven minutes and 16 seconds remaining in regulation, but Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley saved some of his best for when it mattered most and headlined a 120-115 comeback victory.
He scored 16 of his career-high 36 points in the fourth quarter, including a late three-pointer that tied the game and forced overtime. The 27-year-old made another three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in overtime, stretching Memphis' lead to an insurmountable seven points.
Despite the scare, Memphis is now 19-4 this season and still holds the second-best record out West.
Kings a Royal Mess Without Cousins
After getting off to a 9-6 start with center DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup, the Sacramento Kings have struggled mightily since he was sidelined late last month by viral meningitis.
The Kings lost to the lowly Detroit Pistons by a 95-90 margin on Saturday, marking their seventh loss in nine games without Cousins. The 24-year-old big man is averaging 23.5, 12.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks through his first 15 appearances.
That kind of production isn’t easy to replace.
Blazers Stop the Bleeding
Coming off a 115-106 defeat to the Chicago Bulls and an improbable loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves before that, the Portland Trail Blazers entered Saturday’s game looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season.
They did just that with a 95-85 win against the chronically short-handed Indiana Pacers. Portland made 77.8 percent of its field-goal attempts in the second quarter and took a 20-point halftime lead, taking care of business early against the 7-17 Pacers.
"We really realized, because of outcomes of previous games, we've got to do whatever it takes to put ourselves in a position to win this game," center Robin Lopez told reporters after the game.
The Trail Blazers are now 18-6 and hold the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Quote of the Night
The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Milwaukee Bucks by a final score of 111-106, losing their second consecutive contest after a nine-game winning streak. L.A. allowed the Bucks to make 56.6 percent of their field-goal attempts (including 7-of-11 from three-point range) and failed to get stops when it mattered.
"They got everywhere they wanted to tonight," point guard Chris Paul told reporters after the game. "We never really made an impact on the game. Just like last night, it was (six) turnovers. Never did that before. Don't think I ever had four offensive fouls in a game, either. We have to defend. We have to play better."
It was Paul’s second straight game with six turnovers, unheard of given the floor general’s customary passing efficiency.
