The Hidden Impact of Capela

     One of the biggest mysteries to me in the basketball world right now, is why Clint Capela never gets the recognition he deserves. I, personally, think that he is the second most important player to the Rockets’ success, and I’m sure many Rockets fans would agree. He has an impact on the game similar to Draymond Green, where not all of his impact shows on the box score, but we are a much better team because of him. The Rockets design their entire defensive scheme around Clint, and with him just getting hurt a week ago, I think it’s a good time to analyze exactly what makes him so valuable to the Rockets on the defensive end.

     Clint Capela is the single reason why the Rockets are able to “switch-everything” on defense. Being able to do this helps negate the pick-and-roll, and forces the opponent into a lot of isolation. This scheme depends on Clint’s ability to switch from a big man setting a screen, to a smaller guard on the perimeter, and guard them both about equally as well. Not every NBA team is able to do this on defense because not every Center can both block shots, and switch onto the perimeter as well as Clint. If you look at his DET factor (the percentage of a player’s season average FGA output per possession that he shot in a specific matchup), 8 of the 10 players that he deterred the FG% of the most, are guards. If you compare that number to other Centers that he is commonly compared to, here is how he stacks up:




     Being 6’11 with a 7’5 wingspan, it is not common that players of that size are able to matchup on guards so well. That is what makes Clint so great. Even when he gets beat, his massive wingspan helps him recover fairly easily and still challenge the shot. He is currently 10th in the NBA with 1.9 blocks per game, and that will only go up as his timing improves. Although, I feel that if we didn’t switch so often and Clint wasn’t guarding on the perimeter as much as he does, that number would be higher. Last year’s playoff series against the Jazz was a perfect display of how well Clint protects the rim for the Rockets (https://youtu.be/LZdk_GN1zsI). It wasn’t all just shots around the rim by Gobert and Favors, he also got a fair amount of blocks when switched onto Donovan Mitchell driving from the perimeter.

     With Capela out of the lineup for another month, and Kenneth Faried filling in for him, the rim protection hasn’t been nearly as good as when Clint was healthy. Faried is only 6’8, and doesn’t offer the same shot-blocking skills. He can defend on the perimeter fairly well, but he is just too undersized to offer the other shot-blocking dimension that Clint does on defense. The combination of those two things makes Clint Capela the second-most important player on the Rockets, and it will be tough to keep playing without him for the next month as the team tries to climb back up in the standings.

The Bucks Beat the Rockets at their Own Game (for now)

     If anything has ever validated the calculations of Daryl Morey, I think the 2018-19 Milwaukee Bucks translating Moreyball analytics to success this year is the best example of how advantageous playing Moreyball can be for a basketball team. Moreyball analytics is a system that the Houston Rockets, under the leadership of Daryl Morey, has been using successfully for a number of years. The basic idea is that they put together players, coaches and a system that focuses on maximizing 3-pointers and shots in the restricted area (layups/dunk), in order to give themselves a mathematical advantage going into every game. During the 2017-18 season, the Rockets led the NBA with these types shots, which accounted for 81% of their shot attempts. This was over 10 percentage points higher than the next closest team and almost 20 percentage points higher than the league average. That season, Rockets had the best record in the NBA and narrowly lost in the Western Conference Finals

     For the past several seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks have been stuck in the middle-of-the-pack, winning about half their games in the regular season and finishing around 7th place in the conference standings. This season has been very different. The Bucks have gone through a huge transformation under new coach, Mike Budenholzer, who has fully embraced the Moreyball philosophy. Under his leadership, the Bucks have gone from a Moreyball shot attempt percentage of 64% (below league average), to the highest ever recorded at 82.1%. Although the season is still young, the results have been dramatic. Through January 20th, 2019, the Bucks are 33-12, have the best record in the NBA, and score the most points per game as a team. They even beat the Rockets in Houston a couple of weeks ago on national TV, showing the world the true power of Moreyball analytics.

     At this point in time, the Rockets have regained the league lead in Moreyball shot attempt percentage, attempting 83%  from Moreyball zones, compared to 80% by the Bucks. This recent surge by the Rockets has fueled a 16-8 record since December 1, led by James Harden's 40+ points per game and more prominent role in the offense.  I hope this trend continues when Chris Paul returns to the lineup.

Melo Effect Part 4 - Shot Selection

     The biggest overall positive for the Rockets as a team since Melo left, is the improvement in shot selection. Carmelo Anthony is known to be one of the greatest mid-range shooters of our generation, but one of the biggest mysteries heading into the season was if he could adjust his shot selection to fit the “Moreyball” philosophies (3’s, layups/duks, free throws). If we take a look at the shot chart for one of Melo’s better games, in which he had 17 points and 7 rebounds, on 57% shooting, you can see that the Rockets took 12 mid-range shots and a lot of little floaters around the basket:

Rockets vs. Bulls Shot Chart

     Even though they won the game, the chart shows that the advantage we once had through Moreyball, was gone. Losing that advantage was one of the biggest reasons, in my opinion, why the Rockets struggled out of the gate. This past couple weeks, the Rockets have started looking like themselves again. They have finally found a rotation that works, and everyone looks comfortable out on the court. The signature moment of their past run has been the game vs the Wizards where they broke the record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 26. Here is the shot chart from that game: 

Rockets vs. Wizards Shot Chart

     The chart shows that they only took one mid-range shot the entire game, and only one floater around the basket. This is more like what Morey envisioned the chart looking like and getting back to this Moreyball shot selection is one of the biggest reasons why we have been streaking lately. I believe that removing Melo from the equation is the prime reason why we were able to cut out the mid-range shots and gain back our Moreyball advantage through shot selection.

Melo Effect Part 3 - Harden & CP3

     The biggest thing that worries me about Melo’s departure is the higher dependence on Harden and Paul. Seeing Harden flame out in Game 6 against the Spurs two years ago really left a bad taste in my mouth, and marks the exact time and place that I started caring about how the minutes for the star players are handled. Since Melo left, both Harden and Paul have had to play an additional minute per game, and Harden, in particular, has taken almost two more shots a game, decreasing his FG% by 4%. These two guys should have fresh legs for the playoffs, and seeing Harden lead the league in usage rate once again by a wide margin (6%, to be exact) is not a good start towards making that happen. Their isolation-heavy offense certainly doesn’t help matters either, increasing the pressure on either one of them to blow past their man and create a shot for either themselves, or their teammates.

     The tough thing with Chris Paul is that he is 33 years old, and nobody really knows how much he has left in the tank. He is currently averaging only 15.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists per game, shooting only 41% from the field. If you compare those numbers to his numbers throughout his career, his points per game are at the lowest they have ever been, his turnovers are up higher than they’ve ever been, and he’s averaging his second-lowest amount of assists per game this year. This is also while playing two more minutes than last year, and the inevitable time that we can’t depend on him to do as much as he used to, may be starting right before our eyes.

     The Rockets have addressed this issue recently, though, signing Austin Rivers to be our fourth guard so that we can give CP some rest. Even if Rivers isn’t the greatest player, if he can hold it down while Paul is out, and we can still win consistently with him playing heavy minutes instead of Paul like we are now, then why not give Paul games off like the second night of a back-to-back? Resting Paul should lead to fresher legs in the playoffs, and less risk of a catastrophic injury. With Harden, I definitely think that his minutes need to be decreased in games that both him and Paul play in. I understand that he needs to play big minutes in games that Paul is out, but I think that the Rockets should look for ways to give him some rest down the stretch as well.

Melo Effect Part 2 - The Young Guys

     Through the national media, and social networks, it was a known fact that Melo was let go because the team wanted to play an undrafted rookie, Gary Clark, over him. This was mainly due to the fact that all we really needed from Melo on offense was catch and shoot 3’s, which Clark could hit at a similar rate, and Clark also offered more youth, upside, and defense. Clark has posted a +0.4 in defensive plus-minus, compared to Melo’s -3.4. Those numbers are deflated because of how terrible the defense has been as a whole, but it just goes to show Clark’s energy and instincts on the defensive side of the ball were both seen and valued by the Rockets organization. Since Melo left, Clark saw his minutes go up from 7 to 21 per game and was playing during those same clutch situations that Melo used to play. Playing these big minutes really helped him get a feel for the game and learn his role in the D’Antoni system. 

     As Clark has faded into a rookie wall and struggled with his shot, though, his minutes have since gone to Danuel House Jr, another young guy who has shown a lot of potential. Since being called up from the G-League in late November, he has made an immediate impact, playing 20.6 minutes per game in the month he has been on the team. House isn’t quite on Clark’s level on the defensive side of the ball, with only a -2.8 defensive plus-minus, but he offers a lot more athleticism, energy, and offensive polish than the other two. House currently leads the team with a +57 overall plus minus which is a direct result of the energy he brings. These two guys have been able to develop nicely by playing important minutes early on in their careers, and I see them as big building blocks for the future with their youth, and potential to be dependable 3-and-D wings once their time comes.

Melo Effect Part 1 - The Experiment

It’s been over 4 years since my last post, but I’m back and here to talk about the Melo effect on the Rockets. 

     Every summer, no matter what, Daryl Morey always finds a way to get us Rockets fans excited for the upcoming season through some type of big-name signing, or trade. If we take it back three years…

• Going into the 2015-2016 season, we traded for Ty Lawson, who was supposed to be the perfect backcourt mate for Harden.
• Going into the 2016-2017 season, we hired Mike D’Antoni who was supposed to transform the offense, and raised many eyebrows when he decided to play Harden at PG.
• Going into last season, we traded for Chris Paul, who was finally supposed to take some of the pressure off Harden after his flameout in Game 6 vs. the Spurs the prior year.

     All three of these acquisitions had Rockets fans giddy for the upcoming season. Going into this year, a year after assembling what was likely the greatest team in franchise history, Morey went out and signed Carmelo Anthony. If you look back at my last post from around 5 years ago, you can tell that I was initially excited about the move. Many analysts around the nation were split on what to think of the signing, but I know that I was at least curious to see what he could bring to the table. I thought that even if his role wasn’t exactly what he wanted, he would still go out and do whatever he could to finally win a ring. Well, the Melo experiment quickly ended after a quick 10 games, in which he averaged 13.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and only 0.5 assists per game, on 40.5% shooting, and 32.8% from three. After looking at all different types of stats, I believe that Melo’s departure has opened the door for the team to develop younger guys such as Gary Clark and Danuel House, placed a heavier burden on our star players, and improved our shot selection as a team.

Top Three Players the Rockets have Gotten this Offseason and my Thoughts on it

     This offseason, the Rockets have been very active in trying to sign big name free agents like LeBron, Melo, and Chris Bosh. I was bummed out that we didn't get Bosh because he said that if LeBron leaves Miami then he will come to Houston. LeBron signed with the Cavs and Bosh didn't stay true to his word and re signed with the Heat. I was also sad that we had to get rid of Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin because they are two of my favorite players.We still got some good new players though. Here are my rankings and thoughts about who we got:
     1. Trevor Ariza. We needed another forward to replace Chandler Parsons and Ariza was the best one available. It's a bummer losing Parsons, but $47 million over 3 years is a little too much for a non all star. Although Parsons is a better overall player,  Ariza plays very similar to Parsons and we got him for one more year and $15 million less, so I think it was a good signing for the Rockets.
    2. Nick Johnson. He was a great draft pick for us. We needed some more depth at guard and he fits perfectly with the Rockets. He is a good shooter, very athletic (as we have seen in the Summer League), and a great defender. I hope he gets to play a lot this season.
     3. Alonzo Gee. We also needed some depth at forward and Gee will be a key role player for the Rockets. He is a great shooter, athletic, and a good rebounder. I think he will be a great fit for the Rockets.
     Overall, since we missed out on all of the big names, we either got a little bit worse or stayed the same. We might not be as good this year, but we have a lot of leftover money to spend in next year's offseason. Hopefully we can be a top 5 team in the west and have a great season. I would also like to say farewell to Jeremy Lin. He has been a great player for the rockets and it was really cool getting to meet him. I hope he does well in LA!

Rockets Playoff Picture

     The Rockets have finished the season with a record of 54-28 and because of that, they have earned the 4th seed in the Western Conference. They will be playing the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs. We were 3-1 against the Blazers this season, so I'm hoping that we can keep winning against them. I
f we win that series than we would most likely be playing the Spurs. We're one of the few teams that can play the Spurs really well because we play at a way faster tempo then them, so we can get easy buckets in transition against them which is a good thing. If we win that, then we would be playing either the Thunder or the Clippers. I would rather them play the Thunder because of how bad we play the Clippers. It would be a very tough series either way. If we somehow win that series, then we would most likely play the Heat or the Pacers. We went 1-1 against both of them, so I actually think we have a higher chance of winning this series than the Thunder/Clippers one.
       Against the Blazers, Lin, Beverley, and Howard will have to play some BIG D. If the Rockets can shut down Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, than we can definitely win this series. We cannot just play James Harden basketball and win, we have to play great team basketball to win. I'm hoping that Jeremy Lin can finally play well in the playoffs and stay healthy. The last two years, he's been hurt, so he needs to make up for it by playing very aggresive, not turning the ball over, and play great defense.
      I think that this is finally the year that the Rockets will make a big run in the playoffs. We have all of the pieces, just we have to put it all together.

My Trade Deadline Thoughts

     Once again, Daryl Morrey made a move right before the trade deadline. This time, it wasn't very major. Here are my thoughts about 3 trades on trade deadline day.
     1. Warriors trade Kent Bazemore and Marshon Brooks for Steve Blake from the Lakers. I thought it was a good deal for both teams.  The Warriors needed a backup point guard which they got in Steve Blake and the Lakers needed more help at guard after Kobe Bryant went down, which they got in Kent Bazemore and Marshon Brooks. If I were to give them a letter grade for how smart their deal was, I'd give the Warriors a B and the Lakers a B+.
     2. Pacers trade Danny Granger and a future second round pick for Evan Turner from the 76ers. I thought it was a good deal for the Pacers because they needed more depth at guard, which they got in Evan Turner. The Sixers made a horrible deal in trading for Granger. They ended up buying out his contract because Granger didn't want to play for them and they wanted to save some cap room.  Still, I don't know why they would trade one of their best players for nothing. I would give the Pacers an A- and the 76ers a D.

     3. Rockets trade Aaron Brooks for Jordan Hamilton from the Nuggets. I thought it was a good deal for the Nuggets because Ty Lawson is out and they just traded their backup, so they needed help at point guard. Aaron Brooks is very underrated, so the Nuggets made a good move in trading for him. I thought that it was a good move for the Rockets too. I've been a big Aaron Brooks fan since the first day he put on a Rockets uniform, so I was mad when I heard that we traded him. Jordan Hamilton has put up 12 and 16 points in his first two games with the Rockets, so we'll see if he can keep putting up these type of numbers. I would give both teams a B+.
     It was another interesting trade deadline with lots of interesting trades. Hopefully, Jordan Hamilton turns out to be good for the Rockets.

My Suggestions For Kevin McHale

     Last night, the Rockets beat the Blazers 126-113. We played well and all, but I have some suggestions for Kevin McHale going forward.

     For Kevin McHale, I think that he should try to make the Rockets into a more defensive minded team. We've been giving up 102 points per game which is 22nd in the league. When we get steals, we get to run in transition which is our specialty just we haven't been able to do it as much this year. We are a good enough offensive team that if we hold a team under 90 points, we will most likely win. On offense, we need Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones to score more consistently. When they are both on their games, we win most of the time because we are already a pretty good outside team and when Jones and Howard play well, they give us the inside presence that we need. So on offense, we need to work the ball inside more often and overall, we need to be more of a defensive minded team.

     To sum it up, I think we've been playing great team basketball lately. Hopefully, Kevin McHale can use my suggestions to make the Rockets a better team and that we can continue playing well.

   

Meeting my Favorite Rockets Players at the Rockets Game

     I had the most incredible time at the Rockets game last Saturday night. We got group tickets as a reunion with some of our family friends. The Yuhans from California and the Jungs from Houston. We went to the game early before the doors opened to try to get some autographs and see the players warm up. Right as the doors opened, we went straight to the bottom of the court and right when we got there we surprisingly saw Chandler Parsons, Aaron Brooks, James Harden, and Dwight Howard warming up. When they started leaving the court, I got Chandler Parsons's autograph and even got a fist bump from Aaron Brooks! Then we went to check out the store, got some food, and then went to our seats that we would be watching the game from.

     The game was awesome! We were playing against the Pelicans. It was close all the way until the end when the Rockets started pulling away. Jeremy Lin and James Harden both made huge shots at the end which got me on my feet. It was a very exciting game and fun to watch.

     After the game, my dad's friend, Uncle Peter worked it out with Josh Fan (Jeremy Lin's trainer) to get us guest passes to go down to the court. Right when we got there, we saw Darryl Morey, the Rockets GM. We said hi to him and my two brothers and I took a picture with him. After waiting there for about twenty minutes longer, we saw Jeremy Lin! Luckily, Uncle Peter is friends with him so he came right over to us. There were a lot of other people waiting in line and he wanted to see us, so he took us a few steps inside of the tunnel. We talked for a little bit and then my brothers and I took another picture, but this time with Jeremy Lin.

     I had the time of my life at the Rockets game! I'd like to give a big thank you to Josh Fan for making this happen.

Omer Asik Trade Rumors

     Just one day after getting a huge road win against the Spurs handing them their first home loss of the season, the Rockets lost to the now 4-13 Jazz. One rumor that has been going around is that Omer Asik is unhappy with his role and wants to be traded. From what I've seen, the price that the Rockets have for Omer Asik is too high for other teams and he will be making $15 million next season, so it will be a tough to deal him. Here are my 2 best scenarios for the Rockets and Asik:
     First, we should try to acquire a defensive small forward and play Parsons at the 4. We are dead last in the NBA for forced turnovers and we need another defensive forward. A forward would be best because Patrick Beverley is a great defender at point guard, James Harden and Dwight Howard have already solidified their spots, and Chandler Parsons can do it all. Terrence Jones is good, but we need more depth at forward.
     Second, we should try to trade Asik and someone else for a lottery pick. This year's draft class will probably end up being the best draft class this decade. Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Julius Randle can all be centerpieces for a franchise. If the Rockets could land one of them, I think we would be the best team in the league.
     Hopefully, the Rockets can do something good with this situation they have with Asik right now. They could acquire some good players in return for him and I hope the Rockets can make the right decision on what to do with him.

Linsanity Part 2

     Linsanity is back! Jeremy Lin has been playing great for the past five games and I'm really excited that he finally got his touch back. Before, he would normally have to defer to James Harden and Dwight Howard, but now since he's coming off the bench, he can do his thing and not have to defer so much. I like to watch the Rockets when everyone contributes and makes plays. I think coming off the bench is a great role for Jeremy Lin because he has more opportunities to score. Unlike other bench players, he's actually been playing more minutes than the starter. He's been averaging 33 minutes played per game this season compared to Patrick Beverley's 28 minutes per game.  In the last five games, Lin's been averaging 22 points, and has been shooting 44% of 3 pointers. The 44% of

3 pointers has been a big improvement from last season in which he only shot 34%.
     Jeremy Lin has been lighting it up and I hope he can keep his great play up! The Rockets play the Mavericks tonight, hoping to make their record 9-4 on the season.

Great Week Of Basketball

     This week has been a great week of basketball for me! First, I got a chance to FaceTime with Jeremy Lin  again on Sunday night. My dad randomly told me to come to the phone, so I did and I saw his friend, Uncle Peter on the screen. Then, Jeremy Lin came to the phone and I was so surprised! Thankfully, I was actually awake this time and I had more to say. I told him that we went all the way to Gathersburg to go watch the new documentary about him called "Linsanity." Then, I asked him how many pairs of shoes he has and he told me that he has 200 pairs of shoes and Nike sent him almost all of them! I knew that he would probably have a lot, maybe 30, but I was caught off guard when he said 200. It was great talking to him again and special thanks to Uncle Peter for making this happen. 

     Secondly, today is the Rockets season opener vs. the Bobcats! I've been looking forward to this day for a while and I can't wait to watch it! Since Jeremy Lin is now officially starting on the bench, I hope that he can provide instant offense when he comes in. I hope we can have a great inside-out game today and that James Harden and Dwight Howard both have dominant games which is key to our success. 

     I am hoping for a big, fat W to start out the year and I hope this is the start to a successful season. 

Should Jeremy Lin or Patrick Beverley Start?

     Thankfully, there are only 8 more days until the NBA regular season starts! I like how the inside-out game is working for the Rockets and hopefully we can keep it up going forward. One question still remains... Should Jeremy Lin or Patrick Beverley start at point guard?
      I'd probably rather have Lin start, but either way he'll still most likely get more minutes. He's being paid as much as a starter is paid and I wouldn't think that the Rockets would bench him. I just read an article about Kevin McHale talking about how he has two starting point guards and that he doesn't get why players would rather play 20 minutes starting rather than 30 minutes off the bench. That is part of the reason why I would be okay with Lin coming off the bench as long as he gets more minutes than Beverley. The thing that is good is that they both have different strengths. Beverley is a better shooter and defender and Lin is a better ball handler, passer, and finisher. I agree with Kevin McHale, I think we have two starting point guards.
     The Rockets have been looking good so far and I hope we can keep it up. As long as Lin gets more minutes than Beverley, I am fine.

Rockets Goals For The Season

     I can't wait for the NBA regular season to start! The Rockets have looked good in the preseason so far and I'm looking forward to getting to watch the new Rockets with Dwight Howard! I have high hopes for them this season. Here are some of my goals for them to accomplish this season and why we can accomplish them:

• Be a top five seed in the Western Conference because we have more good players and a lot more depth this year. I think we can beat a lot of the good teams in our conference that we haven't had much success against before like the Clippers, Spurs, Nuggets, and the Thunder. Now that we have Dwight Howard, I think we have a great chance of being a top 5 seed in the Western Conference.                                                                                                                                             
• Have the highest pick and roll ratio in the league because now that we have a great combo in Jeremy Lin/James Harden and Dwight Howard we now have a better player to roll to the basket than Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin and James Harden are both great passers. Hopefully, Dwight Howard will be willing to play the pick and roll this year because he didn't want to last year with the Lakers. I think we will have a very efficient offense this year.
• Be the highest scoring team in the league because now that we have Dwight Howard he can be the guy that we give the ball to down low when we aren't making shots from the outside. 3 pointers aren't the highest percentage shot, so hopefully we can take higher percentage shots this year and continue to score a lot of points.

     I think we are going to have a great season this year! Hopefully we can accomplish my goals and play very well this year! We better not have "Dwightmares."

Beginning of Season Thoughts and What Has Happened Since Then

     This Rockets season has been better than I've expected in terms of winning and watching. They have been an awesome team to watch this season and thankfully have clinched the playoffs for the first time in three years. Here were my expectations at the beginning of the season:

•  I thought that there was no way that James Harden would be better than Kevin Martin.
• I thought that Jeremy Lin would be "the star" like he was in New York.
• I thought that Omer Asik would be below average at center.
• I thought that the Rockets would barely make the playoffs this season.

     But here's what happened...

     

•  James Harden is MUCH, much better than Kevin Martin and is averaging 26 points this season.
• Jeremy Lin most of the time defers to James Harden and didn't make as many plays as I thought he would.
• Omer Asik is an above-average center that is second in the league in rebounding and is averaging a double-double on the season.
• The Rockets currently hold the sixth Western Conference seed.

     Although we've done better than I expected, I was still sad to see these Rockets players get traded or waived in the off-season, or during the season:

• Kevin Martin in the James Harden trade.
• Patrick Patterson and Marcus Morris in the Thomas Robinson trade.
• Luis Scola getting waived in the offseason.

     I thought that the trades were crazy at first, but they've turned out to be good and here's why:

• James Harden is a key contributor to the Rockets success.
• Thomas Robinson is good, but he doesn't get to play as much as he should be playing.
• We need Luis Scola back because he is clutch and we need a good power forward.

     This season has been so exciting and I've become a bigger Rockets fan than I ever was! I hope that they get a first round playoff series that they could win and have a great playoff run. Right now, it is looking like we will either play the Nuggets or the Spurs. We will have to be at the top of our game to beat both teams and I hope that the Rockets can win the rest of the regular season games to keep the sixth seed in the Western Conference.

Missed Opportunity and Rockets Playoff Hopes

     Two nights ago, the Rockets missed their big opportunity to jump in front of the Warriors in the standings in a 78-108 loss to them. If the Rockets won, then the Rockets would be the number six seed in the Western Conference. Since they lost, they stayed at the number seven seed. It was a must win game for them and they disappointed their home crowd in Houston.
     The Rockets lost the game because they couldn't make a shot and they couldn't guard Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The Rockets scored only ten first quarter points which is the lowest amount that they've scored in one quarter this season. They shot only 13% in that quarter and it was really frustrating to watch.
     Looking forward to the playoffs, the Rockets will probably have a tough first series. But if there is one overrated team that the Rockets could beat in a series it would be the Grizzlies. The Rockets have always played them well and have won the season series against them this year. The only problem is that the Rockets would have to jump up two seeds in the standings to face the Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs and that would be really hard to do. The Rockets would need to win most of their final regular season games and have the Warriors and the Nuggets lose most of them to jump up two seeds. I think that the Rockets are playing fine, but the basket just needs to open up for them.

Top Five Rockets Players in my Lifetime

     The Rockets have had some great teams and great players during my lifetime. I forgot some of my old favorite players and how they played so I had to watch some youtube videos to refresh my memory.  In my opinion these are the top five players in my lifetime in order:
     1. James Harden, because he is the best scorer that they've had in awhile. He is averaging 26 points per game this year and he also flipped their fortune this season and brought new hope to the team.  He is also only 23 years old so they can keep him for a while as the face of the franchise.
     2. Tracy McGrady, because he was a great player for a long time. In his career, he averaged 20 plus points in eight consecutive seasons. He used to be my favorite player until he got traded to the Knicks.
     3. Yao Ming, because he was a dominant force down low. He was easily the best center that the Rockets ever had in my lifetime.
     4. Kevin Martin, because he was the best three point shooter that the Rockets have had during my lifetime. He was a bit streaky sometimes but he was a great free throw shooter and could shoot from anywhere on the court.
      5. Aaron Brooks, because he was a great scoring point guard. He was my favorite player for a long time and I really like how he plays.  He is a good all around player and is aggressive for his size.
     Those players, in my opinion, are the best players that the Rockets have had since I was born. In the future, I think Kevin McHale should unload Aaron Brooks for one game to see what he can do.  I hope that he gets to play alot and fits in with the team.  I hope that the Rockets get more players like these in the future!

Rockets Updates and Great Stretch

     Two nights ago, the Rockets scored a season high, 44 third quarter points to beat the Mavs 136-103. Tonight, they rematch with them in Dallas. Having won three of their last five games, they jumped up to the seventh seed in the western conference.
     The Thomas Robinson trade hasn't proved to me yet that it was a good move because he hasn't been playing much because of foul trouble. Donatas Montejunas is playing good as the new starter, scoring in double figures in two of the last three games. Since Montejunas is the new starter, I think that the Rockets should use Terrence Jones more because he brings more defense to the team down low. Chandler Parsons has been playing really well too, going 12 of 13 from the field for 32 points against the Mavs.
     The Rockets have been playing very well lately and I hope they keep it up! They have just signed Aaron Brooks for the rest of the season. I think he will help the Rockets in shooting, playmaking, and provide depth. He will also help the younger point guards because he is a veteran NBA player.  Aaron used to be one of my favorite players when he was on the Rockets and I think he will be a good addition. If the Rockets win and Golden State loses to Sacramento, the Rockets will have jumped up another spot. To get in to the playoffs, they need to watch out for Golden State, Utah, and Denver.