Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The Portland Trail Blazers fell behind early but battled back to knock off the Houston Rockets, 109-98, Sunday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
While Houston led by one point at the end of the first quarter, Portland outscored Kevin McHale's squad, 35-21, during the second frame.
LaMarcus Aldridge paced the Blazers with 24 points, guiding Terry Stotts' team to a 46-30 advantage in the paint. Portland tallied a 52.6 field-goal percentage and a 87.0 percent clip from the free-throw line.
James Harden scorched the net for a game-high 45 points, but the rest of the Rockets combined to shoot a meager 20-of-57 mark from the field.
The Trail Blazers ended a seven-game road losing streak with the victory, winning for the first time away from Moda Center since Jan. 11 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Houston played without Dwight Howard for the seventh consecutive game. According to Mark Berman of Fox 26, Howard expects to be out six to eight weeks.
| Damian Lillard | B |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | B+ |
| C.J. McCollum | B+ |
| Robin Lopez | C |
| Rest of Team | B |
| James Harden | A- |
| Josh Smith | B |
| Terrence Jones | D- |
| Trevor Ariza | B- |
| Rest of Team | D |
Portland Trail Blazers
Early on, the newly minted All-Star reserve, per the Trail Blazers, didn't showcase his explosiveness often, though, that was a product of tight defense. Nevertheless, Lillard was an efficient contributor during the first half with 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting.
He launched a couple of long, long-distance triples that were wildly off the mark and was 1-of-5 overall beyond the arc. But he managed to finish with 23 points, thanks to a 10-of-11 clip from the line.
LaMarcus Aldridge: B+
Portland had a distinct size advantage inside, and LaMarcus Aldridge was the best talent up front. He bullied his way to a few baskets, yet the Rockets collectively held their own against Aldridge after utilizing an adjustment that promoted help-side defense.
The power forward finished with 24 points and five rebounds, scoring four points during the final two minutes to help seal the victory.
C.J. McCollum: B+
Nicolas Batum continued his season-long struggle from three-point range, but C.J. McCollum provided a boost on the perimeter. The second-year guard netted 12 points, connecting on five of his six shots before the break.
While McCollum played a mere five minutes during the latter half, his first-half production helped Portland overcome an eight-point deficit and take a commanding lead.
Robin Lopez: C
Though the Trail Blazers were in terrific position to win the rebounding battle, Robin Lopez's limited impact on the glass hurt the team. Houston grabbed 15 offensive boards and turned them into 21 second-chance points, many of which came while Lopez was in the post.
He contributed in other ways, of course, diving onto the floor for a couple of loose balls and finishing a handful of close-range buckets. Ultimately, he recorded 14 points along with his three rebounds.
Rest of Team: B
Meyers Leonard added 12 points and six rebounds, burying a pair of three-pointers. His outside threat spaced the floor, an important underlying attribute to the win.
Wesley Matthews failed to find a rhythm, misfiring on seven of his nine attempts. Chris Kaman chipped in four points and three rebounds, while Will Barton provided quality energy off the bench.
Houston Rockets
James Harden: A-
Death, taxes and Harden receiving—then capitalizing on—trips to the charity stripe. The left-hander attempted a completely absurd 23 free throws, converting 19.
Harden propelled the Rockets throughout the night, leading the charge back from 17 down and even taking the lead. He racked up 45 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 40 minutes of work.
Josh Smith: B
Often criticized for having too much confidence in his shot, Josh Smith has slowly settled into a complementary role off the bench for the Houston offense. His interior defense was still a notable issue, though, that shortcoming should be minimized when Howard is healthy.
Smith tied a career-high mark with four three-pointers, which he's accomplished in consecutive outings. The stretch-4 finished with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Terrence Jones: D-
Physicality is Houston's biggest problem when Howard is sidelined. That deficiency was clearly evident Sunday night when Terrence Jones struggled to deal with Portland's frontcourt full of 7-footers.
Rockets coach Kevin McHale stuck with smaller lineups instead, leaving the Kentucky product to log just 14 minutes of action. Jones was 1-of-5 from the floor, ending with three points and two rebounds.
Trevor Ariza: B-
Trevor Ariza played a superb all-around game, crashing the boards, finding open teammates and entering passing lanes for steals. He amassed seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.
The small forward contributed in every facet except for the one where Houston really need him to make impact. Ariza clanged four of his five triples, netting just nine points.
Rest of Team: D
Donatas Motiejunas registered 36 minutes, scoring 10 points and snatching six rebounds. However, he was a putrid 1-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Patrick Beverley played a mediocre defensive game, and Corey Brewer was shredded by McCollum. Jason Terry was largely a non-factor, accounting for six points on 2-of-6 shooting.
What's Next?
Portland (35-17) hosts the Los Angeles Lakers (13-38) Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 10 p.m. ET. KGW will show the Western Conference clash.
Houston (35-16) finishes its final week before the All-Star break with two games on the road. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m. ET, the Rockets will battle the Phoenix Suns (29-23), then battle the Los Angeles Clippers (33-19) Wednesday evening at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Root Sports Southwest will televise both outings, while ESPN will nationally broadcast the matchup with the Clippers.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR
