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Lakers take 3-1 playoff series lead on Rockets

On Thursday, the Lakers beat the Rockets 110-100 to take a 3-1 second round playoff series lead. Things got close in the end, but lack of Rockets energy and execution through much of the game proved too much to overcome. The Lakers got their usual excellent production from stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but also got a boost from Alex Caruso, who came off the bench to score 16 points, contributing several clutch plays late in the game that helped secure the win. Here’s the Los Angeles Times with some thoughts on the game and beyond:

It’s pretty surprising to see a team be up 2-1 and unleash a drastic change, but here the Lakers were, inserting Markieff Morris, sitting JaVale McGee and trying out rookie Talen Horton-Tucker…

You can really feel when LeBron James takes over because he plays with so much force and power. Anthony Davis operates a little differently. His 29 on Thursday hit mostly with a whisper, silently being in the right spot – with a few exceptions when he loudly caught Rajon Rondo lobs…

Alex Caruso scored 16 – a playoff high, but more importantly, Vogel trusted him to play 30 minutes, his most this postseason. He’s been the Lakers’ most consistent defender on the perimeter, and he’s earning the Lakers’ trust.

The Rockets struggled from three-point range in the first half, but then woke up in the second, finishing 14 of 33 from beyond the arc. James Harden shot just 2 of 11 from the field, but got himself 20 free throw attempts to finish with 21 points and 10 assists. Russell Westbrook shot 8 of 16 for a team-high 25 points in the loss.

Rajon Rondo back in action for Lakers, who lose Game 1 to Rockets

The Lakers lost Game 1 to the Rockets yesterday. But at least they won in getting guard Rajon Rondo back in action.

That’s a win of sorts, right? Maybe?

Here’s the OC Register reporting:

With Rajon Rondo, the story is always refracted depending on the eye of the beholder.

Some fans saw his return – an eight-point, four-assist, four-turnover debut after a month and a half on the shelf – as a rusty disappointment. But Rondo’s Laker teammates hope it’s just a starting point for him to build on after missing every bubble game with a fractured thumb followed by back spasms.

Alex Caruso said he thought Rondo’s first in-game action since March 10, in a 112-97 loss to Houston on Friday night, was about where he should be at this point.

“I thought he looked about his normal self,” Caruso said. “Maybe he missed a layup or a shot he normally makes and maybe that’s a little timing and getting used to playing the game again. But I mean, Rondo’s a guy that’s mentally locked in whenever he steps on the court, so I thought he looked pretty good conditioning-wise.”

The Lakers have a lot of work to do. The Rockets’ Game 1 win was convincing. They’re an unusual team, playing super-smallball. Teams going against them have to make some adjustments, but not too many, or else they’d pull themselves out of their own gameplan. It’ll be fascinating to see what, if anything, the Lakers do differently in Game 2. And of course, Rondo’s role going forward.

P.J. Tucker plays a huge role for Rockets

P.J. Tucker is one of the most important players in the NBA playoffs who doesn’t put up big numbers in the scoring department. Here’s the Los Angeles Times on a key member of the Houston Rockets, who currently lead the Los Angeles Lakers 1-0 in their second-round playoff series:

If the Rockets have dog inside of them, Tucker is a mastiff. Friday he scored six points but scrapped for nine rebounds against the Lakers’ bigger frontcourt. With him on the court, Houston was 16 points better than the Lakers — a Rockets best in the plus-minus rating.

The 35-year-old forward played professionally in Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy and Germany before finding a home in the NBA. Among coaches, he’s revered for his toughness and his awareness, a player willing to take on the toughest challenge on defense while parking in the corner on offense, ready to catch and shoot if the ball makes its way to him.

After beating the Lakers, Tucker was asked about the Rockets being small and having to body up with James and Davis, and in his answer, he delivered his mission statement.

“Yeah, I’m short. But I’m strong and I can move my feet,” he said with defiance. “And I can stay in front of anybody. I’m not going to quit. I’m going to fight every play. They’re going to score. Those guys are two of the best players of our generation — they’re going to score the ball. They’re going to score a lot of times. But we’re going to try and make it tough, try and make them work hard, and try to wear them down throughout the game.”

In Game 1, Rockets looked like a complicated playoff opponent for Lakers

The Rockets looked great Friday as they took a 1-0 series lead against the Lakers in the second round of the 2020 NBA playoffs. Known for their very effective “smallball” offense, the Rockets’ defense has been outstanding in Disney NBA bubble play. Here’s the Los Angeles Times on the series:

As they prepare for Game 2 on Sunday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla., maybe the Lakers need to deal with the fact that they don’t have the overwhelming advantages they possessed after losing their first-round playoff opener to Portland.

The Rockets are more blazers than the Blazers. The Rockets are quicker, deeper and far more dangerous. They can make the Lakers look stagnant and stilted and confused. The Lakers have suddenly found themselves in a duel that could test their very being.

“There’s got to be a complete turnaround going into Game 2,” said James…

Maybe they’re a big team that isn’t flexible enough to overcome the Rockets’ small ball. Playoffs are all about matchups, and so far this season the Rockets have won both games against the Lakers with the disparate lineups…

“I think it’s the speed … they play with a lot of speed both offensively and defensively,” James said. “You can see it on film … but until you’re out there, you get a feel for it … that’s what we did tonight, we got a feel for their speed, and we’re fully aware of that going into Game 2.”

Russell Westbrook likely active for Rockets vs Thunder Game 5

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, who has yet to play in the team’s first-round playoff series against the OKC Thunder but should be ready to go for Game 5:

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook is likely to make his series debut in Game 5 against the Thunder.

“He’ll go through practice today and if things are normal then we expect him to be ready to go,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said Friday. “I’m sure he’ll have time restraints. We have not talked about that at all, and that won’t be discussed until tomorrow. Planning on it, but you never know. Russell will be hard to hold down. I’m sure he’s anxious and ready to roll.”

The Rockets need him. With Russ out, there’s simply way too much pressure on James Harden to create almost every scoring opportunity for the team. Westbrook’s ability to break down defenses and drive by defenders is a literal game-changer for Houston.

The NBA was on hold for a few days due to players rising up and protesting, not against the league, but against police brutality against Black people in the United States. The playoffs will resume Saturday, though the updated game schedule hasn’t been released yet.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook status upgraded for Game 5 vs Thunder

UPDATE: Mere hours before scheduled tipoff this evening, Rockets guard Russell Westbrook was upgraded to Questionable.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook put up 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game in the regular season, but has yet to play in the 2020 NBA playoffs. His return will not take place today. Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting:

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook’s return from his strained quadriceps muscle moved closer Tuesday, but with the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder tied, 2-2, Westbrook was still ruled out for Wednesday’s Game 5.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni on Tuesday offered his most optimistic assessment of the potential of Westbrook playing since he was ruled out for the final seeding game and missed each of the four playoff games so far.

“I think it’s day to day, he’s listed,” D’Antoni said…

“Russ only has one level,” Rockets center P.J. Tucker said. “Russ got one speed. Russ got one mind, one energy (level.) If you get Russ, you get Russ. I think that’s a part of him taking his time to get back because he knows and we know the level he’s going to be at when he comes back.

Through four playoff games this year against the Thunder, fellow Rockets star guard James Harden has averaged 32.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game. There is tremendous pressure on Harden to continue to carry the load. Getting Russ back would help a lot.

Russell Westbrook a passionate observer for Rockets in Thunder series

The Disney NBA bubble is a close-knit experience. The closest thing to fans in the stands are players on the sidelines. It’s an obvious time for guys on the bench, especially inactive players, to show even more enthusiasm and support for teammates than usual. Here’s the Houston Chronicle with an observation on Rockets guard Russell Westbrook:

Russell Westbrook is out with a strained quadriceps muscle, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking it easy on the sidelines.

In the first two games of the Rockets-Thunder series, Westbrook has been active in the Rockets’ bench area not only cheering on his teammates, but berating the referees, talking to coaches about strategy and giving his teammates pointers during timeouts…

There’s no timetable for Westbrook’s return and he hasn’t been cleared to work on the court during practice.

The Rockets won again today, this despite a below-average scoring output from James Harden. The Rockets did it as a team, with seven players scoring double-digit points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up 31 points in the loss for OKC.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook day-to-day with muscle strain in leg

Per Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey, star guard Russell Westbrook underwent an MRI in Orlando for a quadriceps injury. The results revealed a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg.

Westbrook will be out for Friday’s game against Philadelphia and his status will be re-evaluated before the playoffs start next week.

The league restarted play in late July at Disney Wide World of Sports in Florida. The Rockets (44-26), currently 4th in the Western conference, are one of the 22 teams included in the restart.

Westbrook this season is averaging 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, shooting 47.2% FG and 25.8% 3FG.

Rockets sign veteran forward Luc Mbah a Moute

The Houston Rockets signed free agent forward Luc Mbah a Moute today.

Mbah a Moute (6-foot-8, 230 pounds) was originally the 37th overall pick by Milwaukee in the 2008 NBA Draft. He hasn’t played much in recent seasons: no games so far in 2019-20, and in the 2018-19 season he played four games for the Los Angeles Clippers.

His overall NBA career average is 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 686 career games with 453 starts.

Mbah a Moute won’t score much, but should provide solid defense off the Houston bench.

Per the Houston Chronicle: “He hasn’t played in two years,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of Mbah a Moute’s potential to crack the Rockets’ rotation. “I don’t know. I have no clue. That’s why the three weeks (of workouts) and the eight games will be highly important to get the rotation down. Whether it’s eight, nine or 10 guys, that’ll be determined. Hopefully we can make a good choice there.”

The Cameroonian native appeared in 61 games with 15 starts for Houston in 2017-18. The Rockets were 17-1 when he scored in double-figures. Since the start of 2016-17, Mbah a Moute has shot 49.3% from the floor and 37.4% from 3-point range.

Updated Rockets schedule resumes July 31 vs. Mavericks

The NBA has announced the schedule for the 22 teams participating in the restart of the 2019-20 season. All games will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex located at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

The 22 teams will be the eight teams in each conference with the highest current winning percentages and the six teams that are currently within six games of the eighth seed in either conference. Each teams will play eight “seeding games” as selected from their remaining regular season schedule.

The Rockets have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, marking their franchise-best eighth straight postseason appearance. With a current record of 40-24, Houston has also secured its 14th straight season going .500 or better and is the only team to have done so over that span.

At the conclusion of the seeding games, the seven teams in each conference with the highest combined winning percentages across regular-season games and seeding games will be the first through seventh seeds for the playoffs for that conference.

If the team with the eighth-best combined winning percentage (regular-season games and seeding games) in a conference is more than four games ahead of the team with the ninth-best combined winning percentage in the same conference, then the team with the eighth-best winning percentage would be the eighth playoff seed in that conference.

If the team with the eighth-best combined winning percentage in a conference (Team 8) is four games or fewer ahead of the team with the ninth-best combined winning percentage in the same conference (Team 9), then those two teams would compete in a play-in tournament to determine the eighth playoff seed in the conference. The play-in tournament will be double elimination for Team 8 and single elimination for Team 9.

The NBA’s standard playoff tiebreaker procedures will be used to break any ties on the basis of winning percentage. Once the 16-team playoff field is set, the NBA Playoffs will proceed in a traditional conference-based format with four rounds and best-of-seven series in each round.

Below is the Rockets schedule for the eight seeding games in Orlando:

Friday, July 31; 8 p.m. CT vs Dallas
Sunday, August 2; 7:30 CT vs Milwaukee
Tuesday, August 4; 8 p.m. CT vs Portland
Thursday, August 6; 8 p.m. CT vs LA Lakers
Sunday, August 9; 7 p.m. CT vs Sacramento
Tuesday, August 11; 1 p.m. CT vs San Antonio
Wednesday, August 12; 3 p.m. CT vs Indiana
Friday, August 14; TBD vs Philadelphia

All games will also be available on the radio broadcast home of the Rockets, SportsTalk 790 KBME and NewsRadio 740 KTRH in addition to Spanish coverage on La Ranchera KEYH 850 AM/KNTE 101.7 FM.