Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
The Rockets have won three straight.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle.)
So this Rockets team we’re looking at right now has an extremely different look from last season. Only four players are left from last season’s team: Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker, Ben McLemore, and Danuel House. Gordon has the longest tenure on this team (he’s in his 5th season in Houston), which seems unbelievable.
James Harden getting dealt seemed inevitable. And he did as the 2018 MVP went to Brooklyn in a four-way deal. The Rockets seemed like a mess but, at least, they got an unhappy star out of the team.
Still, they didn’t get off to a great start after Harden got dealt. They went 1-3 in their first four games. They would also lose Most Improved Player candidate Christian Wood to an ankle injury after their loss against the Suns.
Then suddenly, they’ve won three straight, capping it off with John Wall‘s first encounter with the Wizards since he got traded. Wall went for 24 points and 5 assists in a satisfying victory.
Wall has got a chip on his shoulder for being dealt by Washington. But I feel that most of this team would have that chip. It’s easy to count them out, though; the Rockets players that just got there are mostly coming off devastating injuries. Wall is coming off a ruptured Achilles. Victor Oladipo is coming off a knee injury (which he held a mock funeral for recently). DeMarcus Cousins had a torn Achilles AND a torn ACL. Boogie recently had some resurgent games, going for 28-17-5 against Dallas and then 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals in that same Wizards game. They all have motivation to prove everyone wrong. And when Wood returns, they have a chance to look even better.
The Rockets are sitting at 7-9 at the moment. Maybe this team isn’t looking so bad right now. The only caveat is that they really have to stay healthy. Hell, I even joked that if this team came together in 2017 (pre-injury), this team would look INCREDIBLE.
Houston may not have a problem, after all.
Bullet Passes
John Wall and Bradley Beal were teammates forever. Now they’re on separate teams. But, hey, comrades forever.
Bradley Beal and John Wall dapped up before the Wizards-Rockets game 💯 pic.twitter.com/PHT6eBLzpt
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 27, 2021
But the Wizards lost yet again. Poor Bradley.
Donovan Mitchell went 3 for 15. Bojan Bogdanovic only made 2 of 10 shots. Jordan Clarkson only went 5 for 16. But the Utah Jazz beat the New York Knicks because these guys can defend. Rudy Gobert did end with 18 points, 19 boards, and four swats. Jazz have now won 9 straight.
Austin Rivers went for 25 points but all of them were in the first half.
No Kawhi Leonard, no Paul George, and no Patrick Beverley for the Clippers. It took 38 points from Trae Young for the Hawks to beat the Clips, though.
The Clippers’ win streak has been halted at 7.
NBA Scoreboard
Jan. 26, 2021
Watch This Play
This is John Wall at his signature best.
John Wall behind-the-back ðŸ¤
Tough. pic.twitter.com/mvUWu192oM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 27, 2021
Before I go, I want to send my condolences to the family and friends of Sekou Smith, who passed away on Tuesday due to complications of COVID-19. Sekou was a beloved member of the media and had been with Turner Sports for more than a decade. He was a fixture on NBA TV and was the kindest soul whenever we talked basketball. Sekou had so much left to give and so much life ahead of him and it is cruel that he was taken away from this world far too early.
Rest in peace, Sekou Smith.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else. GG.