HOUSTON ROCKETS

Christian Wood scored a career-high 33 points and had 16 rebounds to help the Houston Rockets beat the Charlotte Hornets 146-143 in overtime on Saturday night.

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Danuel House Jr. had 18 points, Christian Wood added 16 points and 10 rebounds and the Houston Rockets ended their losing streak at 15, beating the Chicago Bulls 118-113 on Wednesday night.

Jayson Tatum scored 30 points, Jaylen Brown had 19 in his return from missing eight games with an injury and the Boston Celtics coasted by Houston 108-90, sending the Rockets to their 15th straight loss on Monday night.

Alec Burks scored 17 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, Evan Fournier added 19 and the New York Knicks handed the Houston Rockets their 14th consecutive loss with a 106-99 victory.

Lu Dort scored 34 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Houston Rockets 101-89 on Wednesday night.

Ja Morant had 22 points, six rebounds and six assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated Houston 136-102, sending the Rockets to their 12th straight loss.

Devin Booker had 26 points and six assists and the Phoenix Suns won their eighth straight game and handed Houston its 11th loss in a row, routing the Rockets 115-89 on Sunday night.

First Lady Jill Biden arrived in Houston on Sunday as she continues to urge parents and guardians to allow children ages 5-11 to get vaccinated.

Jerami Grant scored a season-high 35 points to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Houston Rockets 112-104 on Wednesday night in a matchup of two of the worst teams in the NBA.

Jordan Poole scored 15 of his 25 points in the first quarter and the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 120-107 on Sunday night.

Nikola Jokic blocked Jae’Sean Tate’s drive to the basket as time ran out and the short-handed Denver Nuggets escaped with a 95-94 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Devin Booker scored 27 points, Landry Shamet added 19 off the bench and the Phoenix Suns pulled away late to beat the Houston Rockets 123-111 on Thursday night.

LeBron James scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Russell Westbrook added 27 points and the Los Angeles Lakers swept back-to-back games against the Houston Rockets with a 119-117 victory.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 19 points and seven Utah Jazz players reached double figures in a 122-91 win over the Houston Rockets.

There’ll be some NBA history made during Thursday night’s Houston Rockets/Utah Jazz game, and it happens to coincide with Filipino American Heritage Month.

HOUSE OF THE WEEK | The five-time NBA all-star purchased the seven-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 16,479-square-foot house in Kentsdale Estates in 2013.

EDINBURG – New faces filled the RGV Vipers practice facility Monday as the NBA G League affiliate of the NBA’s Houston Rockets returned to the Valley after 604 days away due to COVID-19 and began their quest for a league-best fourth G League championship. Not all of the players on the finalized training camp roster are new to the Vipers, but they are new to playing in the Rio Grande Valley. “The Vipers finalized their training camp roster earlier Monday with 13 players. He is in his fifth year overall as a Vipers coach, spending his first two years under head coach James Blair. I feel feel real comfortable being able to teach what we are about especially in Houston.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points and nine rebounds and the Boston Celtics avoided their first 0-3 start since the 2013-14 season with a 107-97 win over the Houston Rockets.

Christian Wood had 31 points and 14 rebounds and Houston beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 124-91 on Friday night in the Rockets’ home opener.

For the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, 75 players weren’t enough.

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter waded into an especially sensitive subject for the NBA with his comments advocating for a free Tibet, as China is by far the league's largest foreign market.

Hakeem Olajuwon was one of a host of former Houston Rockets in the first third of players unveiled by the NBA as the 75 greatest players in league history.

One day after deciding to convert Armoni Brooks' contract into a two-way deal, the Houston Rockets went even further to show their commitment to the former University of Houston Cougar.

Houston Rockets’ mascot “Clutch the Bear” is adding to the team’s trophy case.

The Houston Rockets have converted guard Armoni Brooks contract to a two-way deal, according to a league source.

Nearly 800 animals, including the famous India the Tiger, reside at Black Beauty Ranch, the Humane Society of the United States sanctuary. The animals recently took part in a photo shoot as they got in the Halloween spirit because, clearly, that’s what one would expect in an animal sanctuary.

The Houston Rockets were a franchise-worst 17-55 last season in the wake of the James Harden trade.

Eighteen former NBA players have been arrested and charged with defrauding the NBA's Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of $4 million, officials familiar with the matter said.

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An NBA source confirmed to KPRC 2 Sports former Houston Cougars guard Armoni Brooks signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Houston Rockets.

Although he’s no longer a Houston Rockets star, James Harden can’t get enough of H-Town.

Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady is selling his Sugar Land home, which he has owned since his time with the Houston Rockets, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2021-08-16/basketballs-tracy-mcgrady-is-selling-his-decked-out-texas-mansion" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a> reports.

It’s official! Jalen Green is the No. 2 pick of the 2021 NBA and headed to the Houston Rockets. Here’s your chance to get in early and get your replica jersey before the season begins.

The Houston Rockets selected G-League Ignite star guard Jalen Green with the No. 2 overall pick Thursday in the NBA Draft.

Those interested in the progress of space flight and space travel woke up Tuesday morning to watch Blue Origin's first human flight into space, so it's no surprise plenty of people were talking about it on social media too.

There will be a Houston Rockets reunion in Philadelphia sports leadership with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) announcing Tad Brown as their new CEO, meaning he’ll oversee properties including both the the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, as well as the Prudential Center.

The Houston Rockets announced two additions to their basketball operations department.

Kendrick Perkins is known for many things, along them are strong opinions, vast knowledge of all things basketball, and giving back. The ESPN NBA analyst and Houston resident joined KPRC Sports Reporter Vanesa Richardson for a one-on-one on Sports Sunday.

While the draft is still a month away, there is no shortage of discussion on social media and message boards about who the Rockets might select and, more importantly for some, who they should select.

The team will also provide tickets for some of the first responders from Friday's massacre at Santa Fe High School.

After finishing 2021 with the worst record in the NBA, the Rockets will draft second in this year's draft behind the Detroit Pistons, netting them a bonafide young start to put alongside Christian Wood, Kevin Porter, Jr., K.J. Martin and Jae'Sean Tate.

Newly selected Basketball Hall of Famer Ben Wallace tapped his fist on the table a few times, then clapped his hands and pointed one finger skyward.

It's the night of the NBA Draft, and for Houston Rockets fans, this could be a potential night to celebrate.

Keep track of all the players who have committed to Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics.

Houston Rockets rookie Jae’Sean Tate was named First Team All-Rookie.

Martín Maldonado hit a go-ahead double in the ninth, prompting a fan to toss an inflatable trash can onto the field, and the Houston Astros beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4.

A broken finger, an earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic: three roadblocks in back-to-back-to-back seasons for Houston Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate held the talented player out of the NBA.

Rookie Onyeka Okongwu had career highs with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks headed to the playoffs on a roll after a 124-95 rout of the woeful Houston Rockets in the regular-season finale.

Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker each homered to help Luis Garcia earn his first career win as the Houston Astros held on to beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 for their fifth straight win.

Kelly Olynyk scored 20 points and fell a rebound shy of a triple-double as the Houston Rockets snapped a seven-game skid with a 122-115 win over a Los Angeles Clippers team that rested several starters Friday night.

The NBA draft is still two months away and the lottery to determine the order of draft picks is six weeks out, but as the season winds down this week for the league worst Houston Rockets, it is worth taking a peek at just what chances the Rockets have at reaching the top of the draft in 2021.

Kyle Kuzma’s driving layup with 6.9 seconds remaining gave the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers a 124-122 victory over the Houston Rockets and kept the defending NBA champions' slim hopes of avoiding the play-in tournament alive.

With about 4,000 fans in attendance, LeBron James helped the Los Angeles Lakers unveil their 2019-20 NBA championship banner at Staples Center.

Legendary Houston broadcaster Bill Worrell will be stepping aside from his daily Houston Rockets play-by-play duties after May 14.

Fanatics now has e-commerce deals with 13 National Basketball Association clubs.

Georges Niang tied a career high with 24 points and the NBA-leading Utah Jazz beat the short-handed Houston Rockets 124-116 on Saturday night to reach 50 victories.

Brook Lopez had 24 points and Khris Middleton scored 21 of his 23 in the second half to help the Milwaukee Bucks beat the short-handed Houston Rockets 141-133 for their fifth consecutive victory.

As Rudy Tomjanovich prepares to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame and receive the top accolade in the sport, we take a look at why Rudy T is so special with Houstonians.

Joel Embiid had 34 points in just 25 minutes and the Philadelphia 76ers extended their winning streak to six games with a 135-115 win over the short-handed Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Basketball star James Harden may have left the Houston Rockets, but his impact on the Bayou City will forever be felt.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 50 points, and the NBA-worst Houston Rockets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 143-136 on Thursday night after Giannis Antetokounmpo left less than a minute into the game with an apparent ankle injury.

Hackers say they've seized computer records from the Washington, D.C., police and are demanding ransom. As ransomware groups keep getting more sophisticated, law enforcement is struggling to keep up.

Tad Brown's departing the Rockets leaves Houston with complete turnover in management roles in the last two years.

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According to reports, the Rockets were the victims of a ransomeware attack, but thanks to the good preventative measures and a keen eye for the telltale signs of hacking, they prevented a serious breach.

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Today, the Rockets are one of the worst teams in the NBA with a team made up of mostly young players, interspersed with a handful of veterans like John Wall and D.J. Augustin. And it has become clear that the team is focused on building for the future and taking the lumps that come with those growing pains.

Are these the fanciest tamales in the world? Neiman Marcus is now in the business of selling tamales—at least until June. Texas lawmakers introduce bill that will end natural gas ban The bill would stop cities from banning natural gas as a source for new construction &... This is the weirdest thing flying through our galaxy right now The intersteller object has been described as everything from an asteroid to an alien probe.

^ Keep Houston Press Free Support Us LocalCommunityJournalismI Support Support the independent voice of Houston and help keep the future of Houston Press free. Support UsThe Houston Rockets have become the first ever franchise to... In a lot of cities, replace "Houston Rockets" with any other team and that sentence is often followed by joyous, fist-pumping happiness. The Houston Rockets on Sunday became the first ever franchise to have both a 20-game winning streak and a 20-game losing streak in its history. Given that the trade deadline is the day prior to that two-game road trip, this could be a VERY different looking Rockets team facing the Timberwolves.

Support UsThere is no point in trying to gloss over 18 straight losses by the Houston Rockets. There are silver linings for this Rockets team too. Stephen Silas and Rafael StoneIt could be argued that the Rockets team of coach and GM resembles that of the Astros circa 2015. Draft picks can make valuable trade pieces and could jumpstart the rebuild process as quickly as a young star fresh out of college. Whatever the case, it should give fans hope that, despite the losing, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Rockets.

The cryptocurrency world is abuzz with talk of digital collectibles, unique virtual tokens that can represent anything from art to sports memorabilia. People have been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for these NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. Even Mark Cuban and other celebrities are cashing in on the NFT craze. It's reminded some investors of the initial coin offering, or ICO, bubble in 2017, when multiple start-ups issued new digital tokens to raise money. There are some parallels with the ICO frenzy — for example, celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Mark Cuban have recently sold NFTs.

Players, coaches and staff kneel during the national anthem before the game between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers at The Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. For the first time this season, the Dallas Mavericks will play the national anthem ahead of a home game. The Mavericks had not played the national anthem before any home games during the preseason or regular season at Cuban's direction, a team spokesperson confirmed to NBC News. "With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy," Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass said in a statement Wednesday. Though league policy requires players to stand for the national anthem, according to NBC Sports, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hasn't strictly enforced the rule, allowing players to kneel during the anthem in the NBA bubble last season.

James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the second half of an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on December 05, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. If the Brooklyn Nets knew for sure they'd land James Harden, perhaps the club might've held off on a deal with Motorola and driven a harder bargain. And Harden is sure to give the Nets more brand appeal once he arrives on the New York City basketball scene, while the James Dolan-owned Knicks can only watch. The Nets also won in the deal as their brand increases with Harden's stardom and his massive audience he brings with to him. The Nets were already in a good position with Durant's return, paring with Irving, which helped land the Motorola patch deal.

At least four draft picks and additional pick swaps are also part of the deal, the person said. "We felt it was best for James and best for the group for him not to come to practice," first-year coach Stephen Silas said. The Rockets begin a three-game road trip on Thursday night with the first of two straight games against San Antonio. The Rockets are just 3-6 so far this season and only Minnesota has a worse record in the Western Conference. Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom.

^ Keep Houston Press Free Support Us LocalCommunityJournalismI Support Support the independent voice of Houston and help keep the future of Houston Press free. In fact, I asked the question on my Twitter timeline "Which Houston team had the most '2020' 2020?" #Penderpoll that we will do a deep dive on in the 9am hour tomorrow on #PandP @SportsRadio610 ... which Houston team had the most “2020” 2020? For that, I point you to the HOUSTON 10, a Houston Chronicle invention that subjectively rates the ten most prominent/influential/buzzworthy Houston sports figures. Jeff Luhnow, Houston Astros general managerLuhnow got the 2020 treatment VERY early in the year, as he and manager A.J.

Wednesday's season opener between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder has been postponed after the Rockets revealed their team did not have enough eligible players due to COVID-19 restrictions. Three Rockets players either tested positive or received inconclusive test results, the NBA said in a statement. Rockets players John Wall and Demarcus Cousins were both sent home, ineligible to play in Wednesday's game, according to CBS Sports. While neither of the players tested positive for COVID-19, contact tracing put them in close contact with another positive player. To aid with the inevitable COVID-19 re-scheduling, the NBA has only scheduled 72 regular season games, instead of the usual 82.

^ Keep Houston Press Free Support Us LocalCommunityJournalismI Support Support the independent voice of Houston and help keep the future of Houston Press free. The first game of the NBA season lost to COVID-19 just happened to be the first Rockets game of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. The NBA is not messing around with its protocols, so don't be surprised if Harden is suspended. It marks yet another chapter of the ongoing saga of the Houston Rockets as they fall ass backwards into the new season. Since the Rockets are not on the slate of NBA Christmas games, we will all have to wait until Saturday when the Rockets visit Portland to face the Trailblazers, assuming they can cobble together enough players for that game.

Late Monday night, the Rockets dealt Robert Covington for former Rocket Trevor Ariza and two first round draft picks, including the sixteenth pick in Wednesday's draft. Which brings about the question: Are the Rockets about to implode the entire team and start from scratch? Any deal to net one of the team's two superstars would have to include a package of players and draft picks. Already strapped for cash, with minimal young assets and no draft picks, it makes sense that the Rockets would at least consider imploding it all. So, if this is the end of this era of the Houston Rockets, perhaps burning the whole thing to the ground is the right approach.

General manager Daryl Morey leaving Rockets on Nov. 1 HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own...Why I decided to find a therapist during the pandemic As a Black woman, I was taught at a young age to exhibit great strength, and because of this,...

Updated 7:06 p.m. CTHouston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own accord. Tilman Fertitta, who has owned the Rockets since 2017, thanked Morey for everything he did in his years with the team. Morey tweeted an image that said: "Fight For Freedom. Houston went 640-400 with Morey as the general manager and won a franchise-record 65 regular-season games in the 2017-18 season. Morey worked as Houston’s assistant general manager for one season under Carroll Dawson before he retired after the 2007 season and Morey was promoted to his job.

According to reports, Daryl Morey's decade-long tenure with the Houston Rockets is coming to a close. Morey will step down as the team's general manager effective immediately and the team will promote Rafael Stone to the GM position. The Texans, just over a week ago, fired Bill O'Brien, who was both head coach and GM for the team. Immediately following the Rockets final loss of the postseason, coach Mike D'Antoni announced he would not be rejoining the team. He was responsible for trades that brought the team players like Tracy McGrady, James Harden, Chris Paul and, most recently, Russell Westbrook.

General manager Daryl Morey leaving Rockets on Nov. 1 HOUSTON (AP) — Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down on his own...Why I decided to find a therapist during the pandemic As a Black woman, I was taught at a young age to exhibit great strength, and because of this,...

However, we were reminded earlier this week that Houston still has a relatively rich history of successful sports figures when Rudy Tomjanovich was finally named to the Basketball Hall of Fame. More specifically, let's go through and count how many future Hall of Famers we will be watching when sports someday return. JUSTIN VERLANDER, SP, Houston AstrosWhen I went through this exercise a couple years ago, I had Verlander above 90 percent probability of making the Hall of Fame. HOF PROBABILITY: 70 percentTHE RESTDESHAUN WATSON, QB, Houston TexansDeshaun will have plenty of stats and plenty of Pro Bowl appearances. HOF PROBABILITY: 10 percentCARLOS CORREA, SS, Houston AstrosWe forget that Correa is only heading into his age 25 season.

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta told CNBC on Friday the idea of playing games without fans in attendance is "never gonna work," as fears of the coronavirus outbreak continues to plague markets worldwide. "I don't think you ever want to play games in front of no audiences," Fertitta said, adding he would instead prefer to suspend play for a week. "But you don't want to play games with no fans." Appearing on CNBC's "Power Lunch," Fertitta commented on the coronavirus, urging fans to remain calm and not panic. Hence, as of now, the annual NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will be played as scheduled.

At the same time, some will look to offload money, hoping to avoid a luxury tax bill. According to league sources who spoke to CNBC, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is seeking to shed additional salary off the team's nearly $140 million payroll hoping to avoid a luxury tax. The way the tax system works is the NBA penalizes a team when its payroll rises above $132 million for the 2019-20 season. From there, the tax will increase 50 cents for each additional $5 million a team is over, according to the NBA-NBPA collective bargaining agreement. If a team pays the luxury tax in at least four out of five seasons, the fee is then increased by $1.00.

FILE PHOTO: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant celebrates a shot by Steve Blake against the Houston Rockets during the second half of their NBA game in Los Angeles, California October 26, 2010. With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize him forever as the new NBA Logo, reads the petition, which was created by 16-year-old Bryant fan Nick Moghtader of Vancouver. The current NBA logo, which was introduced in 1969, features the silhouette of Lakers great and Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West dribbling a ball with his left hand. The NBA did not immediately respond when asked to comment on the petition, which had 1.9 million signatures as of 12:05 p.m. Bryant, who retired from professional basketball in 2016, played all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Lakers and won five NBA championships.

But like all teams, questions loom for the Rockets this season and even into next. As good at the team is, they could always use help, particularly in the frontcourt where they remain woefully undersized. The Rockets have gotten the best of the other LA franchise this season, but the Clippers still remain slightly ahead in the standings. The Rockets have as good a shot as anyone to remain in the top four and even move up. Teams with length (Lakers, for example) will give them trouble and they will have to improve defensively if they are going to challenge the best teams in the West.

Fans descend on Toyota Center as Rockets take on the NetsFans pose for a photo before an NBA game between the Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets at the Toyota Center on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Houston. Fans pose for a photo before an NBA game between the Houston Rockets and the Brooklyn Nets at the Toyota Center on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, in Houston. Photo: Jon Shapley/Staff Photographer Photo: Jon Shapley/Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close Fans descend on Toyota Center as Rockets take on the Nets 1 / 28 Back to GalleryIn this much-anticipated Rockets matchup against the Nets, H-town fans expect to get their moneys worth to see Russell Westbrook and James Harden in action. Houston fans are decked out courtside for Saturday night's game. On HoustonChronicle.com: Scouting Report--Rockets vs. NetsBefore the matchup, both the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets had suffered some recent embarrassing defeats.

End of a decade: Photos capture 10 years of Houston momentsApril 14, 2010: Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (11) gets hit by a shirt thrown by Clutch the mascot as he passes out gifts to fans during the Red Nation Appreciation Night after the Houston Rockets vs the New Orleans Hornets NBA basketball game at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets lost the game 115-123. less April 14, 2010: Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (11) gets hit by a shirt thrown by Clutch the mascot as he passes out gifts to fans during the Red Nation Appreciation Night after the Houston Rockets vs the New ... more Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle Photo: Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 59 Caption Close End of a decade: Photos capture 10 years of Houston moments 1 / 59 Back to GalleryOver the last 10 years Houstons had some wins, and Houstons had some losses. All of which were captured by Houston Chronicle photographers, who have spent the last decade helping capture Houstons moments youll remember. From victories on the field to tragedy in the streets, these are the memorable moments of Houstons last decade. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area.

"When the play happened, Harden goes in for a dunk, and then the ball appears to us to pop back through the net," crew chief James Capers told a pool reporter. "I heard that they said the ball hit James and went back through, so it was a goaltend on James. "I think we lost (focus) before (Harden's dunk), but obviously that just added to the circumstances," D'Antoni said. "Harden finished with 50 points despite shooting just 11-of-38 from the field, including 4-of-20 from 3-point range. Officials overturned the foul after the Rockets challenged but instead called Houston center Clint Capela for an offensive foul.

The Houston Rockets debuted their new NASA-inspired uniforms on Monday, Nov. 18, 2019. HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets took home a W against the Portland Trail Blazers, continuing their eight-game winning streak. The NASA-inspired "city edition" uniforms pay tribute to the historical and present relationship between Houston and the space agency. The inspiration behind our new City Edition Uniforms. : https://t.co/jYBDvgdU1j pic.twitter.com/lgCqwL6JXl Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 19, 2019Copyright 2019 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

Tucker, the NBA's Sneaker King, is close to signing his next endorsement deal since his contract with Nike expired Oct. 1, he told CNBC in an interview. Tucker, 34, has been with Nike throughout his career and has been in negotiations with the company since his deal ended last month. The 34-year-old player is expected to command a multiyear, six-figure sneaker deal that would be the largest endorsement deal of his career. Part of the intrigue of signing Tucker is the North Carolina native's massive shoe collection, labeling Tucker the "Sneaker King." Off the court, Tucker favors the Air Max 1 line, owning multiple versions and colors of the Nike product.

MINNEAPOLIS - James Harden scored 49 points on a whopping 41 shots from the field and the undermanned Houston Rockets won their seventh straight gamer, 125-105 over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. With Russell Westbrook resting, the Rockets needed Harden to shoulder an even bigger scoring load than usual. Harden made 16 of the 41 shots, going 8 for 22 from 3-point range. Jake Layman made his first start of the season for Minnesota and scored a season-high 21 points. Harden scored 18 of his 30 first-half points in the first quarter.

Houston Rockets' James Harden (13) goes up for a shot as LA Clippers' Ivica Zubac (40) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, in Houston. HOUSTON - James Harden scored 47 points and the Houston Rockets outlasted the Clippers 102-93 in a wild game that saw Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers ejected in the fourth quarter Wednesday night. Leonard led the Clippers with 26 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Lou Williams added 20 points off the bench. Capela has had at least 20 rebounds in three straight games to become the first Rocket to do that since Moses Malone in 1982. ... Green had 20 points.

But the combination of a very difficult next ten games and an injury to Eric Gordon threatens that early season success. On Tuesday, the team announced that Gordon would undergo a medical procedure on his knee and miss four to six weeks. Kawhi Leonard typically rests at least one game of a back-to-back set and the Rockets game is the first half of one such pairing. Given George should return Thursday, the Clips may opt to rest Leonard given the Rockets injury issues as well. Regardless, it is going to be tough sledding, particularly without Gordon, who is one of coach Mike D'Antoni's most trusted players.

KPRCCHICAGO - James Harden narrowly missed his first triple-double of the season, finishing with 42 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Houston Rockets pulled away in the second half and beat the Chicago Bulls 117-94 on Saturday night. Harden entered the game averaging 36.5 points on 38.7% shooting, including 27% on 3-pointers. The Bulls led by nine points (31-22) early in the second before the Rockets used a 24-7 run to take control and open a 46-38 lead with four minutes left in the first half. That was the Bulls second make in 17 first-half attempts from long range. Harden led the way with 11 points in the quarter.

James Harden is carrying the scoring load for the Rockets, but like most of the team, he is mired in a shooting slump. The beginning of the 2019-20 season for the Houston Rockets hasn't exactly started how they would have liked. There is a LOT of time left in the season, but here are some early-season takeaways. The Rockets can still score with anyone, as evidenced by the 159-point outburst against the Wizards. If anyone was worrying about the Rockets not being able to put points on the board, they needn't concern themselves with that.