Nate McMillan almost made it seem like the Indiana Pacers’ hand was forced. With Domantas Sabonis eligible for an extension until late October or entering restricted free agency next summer, it was crucial for the Pacers to prove that he’s a part of their long-term plans. Coming off a breakout season that cemented him as
Houston Rockets
The offseason is finally done. Training camp is officially underway. The 2019-2020 NBA season is mere weeks away from starting. As usual, we’ve all been waiting a long time for this moment. And why shouldn’t we? There are so many exciting storylines to tune into this season. The league’s new-found parity. The new LA teams.
With 4.2 seconds left in a tied Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Marc Gasol inbounded the ball to Kawhi Leonard. Leonard caught the ball at the top key and was promptly met by Ben Simmons, who shadowed Leonard as he made a move to his right and headed toward the wing. When Leonard
Forget how the Houston Rockets are going to fit on the court, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and P.J. Tucker are going to be rocking heat all season. After Russell Westbrook got traded to the Houston Rockets this offseason naturally everyone’s mind went to “how will he and James Harden coexist?” Which, sure that’s a major
As they seek a championship, the Houston Rockets are switching things up. Don’t worry about fit, they have talent and chaos on their side. Winners win not in spite of chaos but by embracing it. The Golden State Warriors strategically induced positionless chaos to build a mini-dynasty. The Toronto Raptors opportunistically took advantage of chaos
In just under two months, 30 NBA teams will kick off the journey that is the 2019-20 NBA season. There will be a myriad of storylines and statistical trends that flesh out as the season chugs along. Some of these trends can be predicted based on last season, while others could be a result of
When evaluating a team’s offseason, it can take a while to complete. Between going over what happened last season, what they did this summer and predicting what lies ahead – it’s quite the exercise. You could almost call it a process. Oh hey, speaking of processes, the next team up in this series? The Philadelphia
The following three-part story stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden. In the story, they will find a basketball. The story is based on Jon Klassen’s three books I Want My Hat Back, This is Not My Hat, and We Found a Hat. They are brilliant children’s books. This is probably less so. Part one: Russell Westbrook and
It is the middle ground between prime and retirement, between IQ and adaptability, and it lies between when the shot doesn’t fall as much and when a guy can’t jump as high as he used to. This is the dimension of aging stardom. It is basically when a star enters the NBA equivalent of which
Entering their fifth season together with brand new contract extensions, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum will continue to torch defenses as arguably the most dynamic starting backcourt duo in the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers’ All-Star-caliber pairing scarily knows each other’s tendencies. When one is having an off night, the other will pick it up.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook are not the same kind of ball-dominant force. Will this pairing of dynamic opposites work for the Houston Rockets? If you don’t think about it too long, you could be fooled into believing that the recently reunited Russell Westbrook and James Harden play a similar style of basketball. Both have
With the NBA Summer League concluded and the brunt of free agency completed, the doldrums of the offseason are here. The FIBA World Cup, Drew League, BIG 3 and The Basketball Tournament and other events are currently taking over the scene until the association fires back up in late September. Last week, Basketball Insiders started
To maximize their talents together, James Harden and Russell Westbrook must evolve in Houston. Just two years ago, the Houston Rockets traded for Chris Paul and launched into a full-scale championship pursuit. They came incredibly close in 2018 before Paul’s right hamstring gave out in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, leaving James Harden
The Houston Rockets came into the season with high expectations, and that led to some understandable frustration after an early playoff exit. Chris Paul and James Harden are both All-Star level players who haven’t won a championship, and with that comes pressure as they both grow older and their window to claim a title closes.
PORTLAND, OR – APRIL 23: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on against the Portland Trail Blazers during Game Five of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2019 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or
After trading for Russell Westbrook, the Houston Rockets and James Harden are going to have their work cut out for them on defense. In the wake of the shocking, seismic trade that saw the Oklahoma City Thunder send Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Chris Paul, two first-round picks, and two pick
The NBA’s Western Conference has a lot of potential contenders that will be integrating new pieces, and that means one thing: Someone’s gonna be disappointing! The last 40 days have completely overhauled the landscape of the NBA, and specifically the NBA’s Western Conference. Kevin Durant’s Achilles and Klay Thompson’s ACL took the Golden State Warriors
From referee bias to illegitimate MVP votes to careless reporting, the Rockets are fed up with the entire NBA. Maybe it’s time for them to think about leaving? What does Roxit mean? Roxit is used as shorthand by those within the Houston Rockets organization who believe the franchise is often undervalued or overlooked by the
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 2: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Toronto Raptors during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 2, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user
With the 2019 NBA Draft and its whopping 23 transactions (some still awaiting the new cap year) in the rearview mirror, the 2019 NBA Free Agency period is now on deck. The NBA moved up some of the normal dates on things related to free agency, such as when teams can schedule meetings and when
It’s a play that has become, for some people, regrettably familiar. James Harden handles the ball behind the arc, calmly dribbling back-and-forth as his defender anxiously shuffles and twitches in front of him. Harden steps back, launches a 3 and as your eyes follow the arc of the ball you hear a whistle and then
HOUSTON, TX – MAY 6: Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading
It’s almost official, Chris Paul is reportedly demanding a trade from the Rockets, calling his relationship with James Harden ‘unsalvageable.’ Chris Paul wants a divorce from the Houston Rockets and, specifically, James Harden. According to Yahoo! Sports, Paul approached the Rockets management on Tuesday and made it clear that he wants out of Houston. After
With the NBA Draft less than nine days away, things in the NBA are starting to heat up as NBA teams zero in on trade scenarios and the players they will ultimately have a real shot at drafting. There is a very important disclaimer/concept worth re-stating. Rumors, like the ones we’ll dig into in a
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 3: Head Coach Mike D’Antoni of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on April 3, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms
It appears as though the Houston Rockets’ second-round playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors could inspire major changes in Space City. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “has made his entire roster and future draft picks available in trade talks, a dramatic initiative with hopes of reshaping the team
Houston, we have a problem. Yeah, it’s an overdone cliche, but when is it not fitting to tie that quote into any problems going on in the Houston area? For the Rockets, it appears that things are not all too peachy at the moment. Despite both another MVP-caliber performance by James Harden and another hard-fought
Houston, we have a problem. Yeah, it’s an overdone cliche, but when is it not fitting to tie that quote into any problems going on in the Houston area? For the Rockets, it appears that things are not all too peachy at the moment. Despite both another MVP-caliber performance by James Harden and another hard-fought
The Houston Rockets should be one of the top teams in the Western Conference again next year, but there are signs of turmoil heading into the offseason. When the Golden State Warriors lost Kevin Durant to a calf injury, the door was wide open for the Houston Rockets to beat them in the second round
HOUSTON, TX – June 1: Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey is interviewed as the Rockets announce D’Antoni as their new head coach on June 1, 2016 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and