By: Kevin Kim
A quick and digestible look at the most top-of-mind Rockets news of the past few days.
Hardwood Paroxysm. 15-footer: James Harden beats the MVP drum.
While the early season starts from some surprising MVP candidates have succumbed to gravity and slowly began to descend back to Earth, one young guard has come from the South to the forefront of the MVP conversation. The Houston Rockets are 18-5, have the second-best defense in the league, have survived without Dwight Howard, and James Harden is playing out of his mind right now.
Houston Chronicle. Isaiah Canaan expected back vs. Nuggets.
For a second consecutive game, the Rockets could get one of their injured players back on Wednesday, with guard Isaiah Canaan expected to return after missing seven games with a sprained ankle. Dwight Howard returned on Saturday. Forwards Kostas Papanikolaou and Terrence Jones, and guard/forward Francisco Garcia are out, but Papanikolaou hopes to return to the court, and possibly a game, next weekend.
NBA.com. Morning shootaround: December 17.
Reports: Wolves’ Brewer remains on trade radar for Cavs, Rockets – It’s been a while since Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Corey Brewer had his name bandied about in trade talks, but that chatter may be heating up again. Back in mid-November, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets were sniffing around on potential deals for him — which is something that hasn’t changed a month later.Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group has more on the Cavs’ interest in Brewer (and others) and Darren Wolfsen of ESPN1500 in Minneapolis has more on the Rockets’ interest in Brewer, too...