Rockets vs Thunder - 7:00 PM ET on NBATV [11/16/14]

[Smook A.]

http://news.bangthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Houston-Rockets-vs-Oklahoma-City-Thunder.jpg



Rockets vs Thunder Preview

The Houston Rockets haven't been nearly as potent offensively as they were last season.

They've still managed one of the NBA's best starts because of huge strides they've made on defense.

Houston's improved defense will look to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder's struggling offense in check Sunday night.

The Rockets looked dominant with an average scoring margin of plus-14.3 through their first seven wins, but had to grind out an 88-87 victory Friday over winless Philadelphia. They shot a season-low 37.2 percent, went 7 of 34 from 3-point range and committed 21 turnovers.

James Harden matched a season high with 35 points, made 14 of 16 free throws and put Houston (8-1) ahead on a layup with nine seconds left. He is on pace for 883 free throw attempts, which would be the most by a guard since Michael Jordan attempted 972 in 1986-87.

Harden has 67 points in his last two meetings against his former team while going 24 of 27 from the foul line.

The Rockets held the 76ers to 36.7 percent shooting over the final three quarters and forced 26 turnovers overall to stay with Chicago as the league's only teams without a road loss.

"We struggled on the defensive end early in the game, but we found a way to stay in the game and make plays," said Dwight Howard, who had 21 points and 16 rebounds for a seventh double-double in eight games. "We've got to continue to do that. We are going to have those nights where we can't find the basket and we got to hang our hats on the defensive end."

The Rockets last season relied heavily on an offense that ranked second in the league with 107.7 points per game. They're in the middle of the pack thus far with 101.6 points per game, but their 91.6 points allowed trail only Memphis' 91.3. They gave up 103.1 points per game in 2013-14.

Houston is still playing at one of the league's fastest paces, too, averaging 98.0 possessions per 48 minutes after averaging 98.8 last season.

Oklahoma City (3-7) fell to 2-2 at home with Friday's 96-89 overtime loss to Detroit. The Thunder didn't suffer their second home defeat last season until New Year's Eve.

Jeremy Lamb scored a career-high 24 and Reggie Jackson had 20 points and 12 assists but Jackson put the loss largely on his shoulders after missing a potential game-winner at the end of regulation.

"I failed my teammates ... they played great, it was never supposed to go to overtime," Jackson said. "I let them down tonight, so if anybody rests uneasy it's my fault."

Jackson has been more efficient, however, averaging 25.7 points on 54.7 percent shooting over his last three contests. He scored 20.0 points per game while shooting 37.0 percent through his first four contests.

The same can't be said for the rest of the team, which is averaging 92.0 points and shooting 43.3 percent - both among league's worst marks - with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Perry Jones among those still sidelined with injuries.

Howard will look to end his recent struggles against the Thunder after averaging 8.6 points on 32.7 percent shooting in his last five meetings.

Oklahoma City has won 11 of 16 regular-season meetings with Houston and seven of eight at home with those victories coming by an average of 17.6 points.

Houston Rockets: 8-1
Oklahoma City Thunder: 3-7

Terrence Jones and Patrick Beverley are out for the Rockets. And obviously, no Durant, Westbrook or Jones for the Thunder. Matchup would've been a lot more fun if everyone was playing.

[Fudge]

Houston by 20. This is gonna be ugly.

[Natureland]

Thunder get up by 15, lose all capability to score somewhere in the middle of the third, and lose by 11.

[fiddy]

i cant think of more unlikeable team than the Rockets

[The_Yearning]

James Harden is the undisputed best SG in the game right now. People are buying into the two-way player hype too much. Klay is nowhere near Harden.

[fiddy]

James Harden is the undisputed best SG in the game right now. People are buying into the two-way player hype too much. Klay is nowhere near Harden.
Harden is garbage<<<<<<Klay

[dabigbaws]

lol harden the ******. good call

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

James Harden is the undisputed best SG in the game right now. People are buying into the two-way player hype too much. Klay is nowhere near Harden.
if u think Hardon is the best SG thats ur opinion. Not everyone values defense

[Fudge]

Hmmm, who should I root for this game?

[ronnymac]

14 free throw attempts in the first 8 minutes of the game to the Thunder. Amazing how biased these refs are.

[ronnymac]

Discos sisco shot is finally found.

[YouGotServed]

Big Papa and D-Mo struggling again.

[Burgz V2]

this game is ugly. bonafide chuck-fest.

[fiddy]

OKC with that block party

[ronnymac]

Our defense is again clicking. Our offense is so and so. It'll improve in the second half.

[Marchesk]

Stat line says Adams has 6 blocks in 12 minutes. :wtf:

[YouGotServed]

Our defense is again clicking. Our offense is so and so. It'll improve in the second half.

Yeah. Did you see Harden hustling back in defense? The way he gets back and contests shots is really amazing to watch. He's an above average defender now. Rarely do you see someone take it at Harden one on one and score on him.

[ronnymac]

Yeah. Did you see Harden hustling back in defense? The way he gets back and contests shots is really amazing to watch. He's an above average defender now. Rarely do you see someone take it at Harden one on one and score on him.
Our offense has'nt clicked at all this season. It's our defense this season getting the job done. Last season if our offense was struggling we would be struggling. Last seasons defense on this seasons team we would be a 500 team.

[Twiens]

Nice to see Beverly get popped in the mouth

[Natureland]

Iblocka. :bowdown:

[Smook A.]

what the **** is wrong with Harden

[Top Gun]

Block party.

[navy]

what the **** is wrong with Harden
No free throws.

[Natureland]

Good to see that OKC and Houston decided to implement "Throwback Night: Late 90s Heat vs. Knicks games" for tonight.

[Natureland]

The refs do not care about you, Telfair. :lol

[josh99]

Both teams shooting at around 30%, ouch.

[YouGotServed]

I think Houston only scored 6 pts. lmfao

[Twiens]

Probably the only time Perk is actually a great fit.

[navy]

Flagrant

[PsychoBe]

what a disgusting, physical, slow, hard-nosed game.

and it's so beautiful. :applause:

[Smook A.]

No free throws.
Even without free throws he usually shoots 45-50% from the field. His 3 is soooo off this year holy crap

[fragokota]

Major brick-fest from both teams.

[ronnymac]

Get the *** off the floor you stupid coach. Tech the four eyed geek

[Smook A.]

Both teams are shooting 29% from the field.

Most boring game of the season? I'd say so.

[Twiens]

I love this, lets see a scrap

[PsychoBe]

Both teams are shooting 29% from the field.

Most boring game of the season? I'd say so.

this is tough, hard-nosed, "no boys allowed" basketball. which proves why your boy haren and coward wouldn't last a second in the 90's :lol

[Smook A.]

Howard's kryptonite is Perkins...

[ronnymac]

this is tough, hard-nosed, "no boys allowed" basketball. which proves why your boy haren and coward wouldn't last a second in the 90's :lol
The haren jokes died at the start of this season. See that harden block.

[Smook A.]

this is tough, hard-nosed, "no boys allowed" basketball. which proves why your boy haren and coward wouldn't last a second in the 90's :lol
I honestly have no idea who Haren and Coward are.

[PsychoBe]

The haren jokes died at the start of this season. See that harden block.

are we gonna do this after every defensive play he does? :facepalm

[Smook A.]

are we gonna do this after every defensive play he does? :facepalm
:kobe:

Are you kidding me? He's been paying good d this season. lol FOH :oldlol:

[ronnymac]

are we gonna do this after every defensive play he does? :facepalm
Maybe you want to watch him this seSon without biased point of view

[ronnymac]

Finally athreeza

[navy]

Even without free throws he usually shoots 45-50% from the field. His 3 is soooo off this year holy crap
He's below 40 for the season. And Ive seen enough to say that he wont get to 50% for the season.

[Natureland]

How the **** did Reggie make that? :biggums:

[Smook A.]

He's below 40 for the season. And Ive seen enough to say that he wont get to 50% for the season.
It's definitely a fluke. Harden never shoots this bad. Last season he was almost at 46%

[ronnymac]

He's below 40 for the season. And Ive seen enough to say that he wont get to 50% for the season.
As. Long as he continues to pass the ball and play defense and he gets out of his slump, who cares as long as the rockets prevail?

[YouGotServed]

Harden taking over the game. Top SG in the league.

[Smook A.]

The D for D-Mo stands for Dumbass

[HylianNightmare]

Dwight couldn't hit

[ronnymac]

Common Dwight that's two open looks underneath the basket.

[AnaheimLakers24]

refs getting the call. let rockets win

[Fudge]

Lmao, refs want Houston to win so bad, doe.

[O_City_Thunder]

Refs taking over

[HylianNightmare]

glad it got called over there too

[Smook A.]

What a game, guys! What a horrible, boring game!

[navy]

THe refs have been fine.

[PsychoBe]

What a game, guys! What a horrible, boring game!

why can't you appreciate a dirty, nasty, grimy, defensive, tough basketball game?

[navy]

What a game, guys! What a horrible, boring game!
This game is intense. I like it. A few games like this isnt bad. As long as it isnt an entire season/series.

[YouGotServed]

These refs are terrible. Houston can't get a call.

[Smook A.]

^ I prefer high scoring, close games :confusedshrug:

[HylianNightmare]

harden is such a ****

[tpols]

Harden with the clutch flop.. That was a nice performance.

[bdreason]

I just tuned in. 65-62 with 2 min left in the 4th? :wtf:

[ronnymac]

Jackson you hack, this is not the damn UFC.

[Smook A.]

Didn't look like a flop.

[tpols]

Steven Adams behind the tech. :oldlol:

[ronnymac]

Harden with the clutch flop.. That was a nice performance.
He elbowed him in the throat. You might want to watch the replay

[ronnymac]

Booom

[HylianNightmare]

cold blooded

[Fudge]

Lamb f*cking sucks.

[bdreason]

God I hate Harden and that fukcing head-flop.

[JohnFreeman]

Terrible game from Howard

[YouGotServed]

lmfao @ Lamb hitting Harden in the face and not getting a foul called.

[ronnymac]

Off adams

[Smook A.]

Terrible game from Howard
I'm tellin ya, Perk is THE kryptonite

[O_City_Thunder]

We can never finish a ****ing game.....always close but no cigar

[Smook A.]

I swear to god if the Thunder make a 3 im out...

[O_City_Thunder]

Poor Lamb....getting embarrassed by Harden down the stretch. Maybe he will redeem himself

[Natureland]

...uh.

[truhooper]

:biggums:

[WTFdidNBAbigsGO]

what an absolute shit play by brooks..... i think he was playing tic tac toe on the white board

[T_L_P]

:biggums:

[O_City_Thunder]

Come on man......I'm sure Scott Brooks drew up something better than that. WTF was Reggie doing? :facepalm

[O_City_Thunder]

This shit pisses me the **** off man. :mad:

[ronnymac]

Win is a win, but our offense stinks right now. We are wining with tight defense. I think as the season rolls on our offense will get better. Give OKC a lot of credit that was the most physical game I've seen in a long while.

We will need to improve to even compete against Memphis tomorrow night. Dwight will go up against that huge front court and will need to finish a lot better. Harden played better in the clutch, but he still needs to get his offense going. 9 wins 1 loss and we head to Memphis.

[O_City_Thunder]

Good Game Rockets Fans!!! :cheers:

[plowking]

I thought ESPN made a mistake when I saw the score and what quarter it was...

[YouGotServed]

Ugly win but I'll take it.

[WTFdidNBAbigsGO]

Win is a win, but our offense stinks right now. We are wining with tight defense. I think as the season rolls on our offense will get better. Give OKC a lot of credit that was the most physical game I've seen in a long while.

We will need to improve to even compete against Memphis tomorrow night. Dwight will go up against that huge front court and will need to finish a lot better. Harden played better in the clutch, but he still needs to get his offense going. 9 wins 1 loss and we head to Memphis.
they head 2 memphis you stay where you are doing your cycle or jerking, watching basketball, eating in no particular order

[Smook A.]

Good Game Rockets Fans!!! :cheers:
:cheers:

[Milbuck]

Good Game Rockets Fans!!! :cheers:
:cheers:

[YouGotServed]

they head 2 memphis you stay where you are doing your cycle or jerking, watching basketball, eating in no particular order

No. WE head to Memphis. Stay losing, clown.

[Fudge]

:cheers:
:roll:

[Smook A.]

:cheers:
lulz.

The Bucks doe. Lookin good this year!

[TonyD]

http://s18.postimg.org/fhdttmih5/stats.png

Hard to believe those are the stats for the team that won.

[dabigbaws]

They were bricking the 3s so hard the rebounds were all long rebounds. And okc are retards at rebounding is why we lost

[Xsatyr]

The Rockets are not winning a damn thing in the playoffs if their offense does not shape up. Harden is having a fluke shooting season so far and def needs to pick it up. Howard is probably always going to be rendered useless against Perkins, the one trick pony.

With that said I'm glad they got this ugly win. Usually when refs let a game get physical it's not good for the Rockets. Their defense this year is making all the difference. They are winning games they couldn't last year despite their offensive woes.