In Chandler Parsons’ first game back from his calf stain, the Houston Rockets limited his minutes for a different reason entirely. James Harden was the only Rocket to play over 30 minutes due to a team-wide case of blowout over the Sacramento Kings. The Rockets led by over 18 heading into the fourth, letting head coach Kevin McHale rest the starting unit before heading to Phoenix for the team’s penultimate regular season game tomorrow.
The Rockets started strong, a rare condition as of late, getting up to a nine point lead by the end of the first quarter. Harden controlled the game early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter alone. After leading by more than 20 in the third quarter, the Kings went on a run against the bench to cut the lead to a mere 3. The starters returned in that run, and righted the ship to even the third quarter out and reclaim their 18 point margin.
With a nearly 20 point cushion, McHale let the bench run the show in the fourth quarter, and the Rockets never looked back. Houston was able to cruise to a victory in a game they were expected to win, and now can concentrate on the last two games of the season. With the difference between a sixth or seventh seed potentially resting on tomorrow’s game, that extra rest could become a huge factor.
Harden, of course, is also a huge factor in any game for the Rockets, and tonight was no exception. He needed only three quarters to record 29 points on 11-16 shooting, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals and a block. He had a relatively low 2 turnovers on the night, and he was a brutal 4-6 from behind the arc, including three makes from a good two feet behind the line. After a difficult game against Memphis’ long arms, Harden played fast and free against the Kings.
Terrence Jones also exploded off the bench, putting up a fantastic (if bizarre) stat line in a mere 20 minutes. His 9 points on 8 shots wasn’t helped any by two badly missed threes, and his 3 rebounds weren’t especially impressive. His 3 steals and 5 blocks, however, were huge for the Rockets, and a big part of their path to victory. At a power forward position that seems to switch players daily for Houston, every promising night from a rookie is a huge plus.
Chandler Parsons, on his first game back, looked a little shaky at first but quickly found his footing. He finished the evening with 13 points on 7 shots, including 2-3 shooting from behind the arc, as well as 5 rebounds and 5 assist. This is the sort of line he’s shown he can produce night in and night out, making his return critical for Houston in the playoffs.
Jeremy Lin’s night was solid as well, seeing him rack up 15 points on 4-8 shooting. His shooting has improved as the season has progressed, which can only help. His 4 assists and 3 turnovers were lackluster, but he held his own and hit a couple critical shots, which will hopefully continue to bolster his confidence.
The frontcourt duo of Greg Smith and Omer Asik came to work in the last home game of the season, with both playing hard inside. Asik notched another double double: 10 points on 9 shots and 12 rebounds. Greg Smith opened the night with a post score on the way to a nice 11 point, 5 rebound, 2 assist, 2 steal, 1 block night.
Carlos Delfino also had something of a return, if one chooses to discount his game against the Grizzlies in which he clearly was still weak. He seems to have shaken off the flu entirely, notching14 points on 11 shots, including 4-9 from deep. His 4 assists were a nice bonus, and he seems to be playing within his game nicely. Having another shooter and veteran off the bench can only be a plus in the playoffs, as long as he continues to play smart.
Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas did alright for themselves off the bench, though Moteijunas didn’t see minutes until the game was already decided. Beverley scrambled and hustled on defense and loose balls, and had a decent 7 points on 5 shots. He failed to notch a single assist, however, though much of his play came during the awkward third quarter in which no Rocket could seem to hit anything. Motiejunas continues to show promise and may be a solid contributor next year once he puts on a few pounds and learns team defense. He had 6 points on 3-5 shooting, and most of those were smart shots close to the rim. His 4 rebounds didn’t hurt, either.
On a night with major playoff implications, the Rockets stepped up and took care of a team they needed to take care of. WIth only a pair of games left in the season, the Rockets have a shot at locking up the sixth seed tomorrow in Phoenix, and extra rest for the starters helps their chances at winning a back to back game on the road. With just 6 days until the playoffs, the Rockets are looking like a playoff team.
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