Trail Blazers-Rockets Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Nov 03 2012 12:57AM

James Harden has put on quite a show in each of his first two games with the Houston Rockets.

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is only starting to get comfortable.

Harden looks to continue his remarkable play Saturday night as the undefeated Rockets open their home schedule against the Portland Trail Blazers, who haven't experienced much success during their last several visits to Houston.

The Rockets (2-0), who sent Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round selection to Oklahoma City in exchange for Harden and three other players last Saturday, could be in for an exciting season if their early efforts are any indication.

After posting 37 points and a career-high 12 assists during Wednesday's 105-96 season-opening win at Detroit, Harden went off Friday in a 109-102 victory at Atlanta, scoring a career-best 45 points on 14-of-19 shooting.

"It's a lot different," Harden said of his new role. "Having the offense run basically through you, it's a lot different, but that's my job now so I've got to get used to it. ... I just go out there and play hard."

While Harden stole the show, fellow newcomer Jeremy Lin quietly had 21 points, a career-best 10 rebounds and seven assists. Omer Asik was scoreless on seven shots, but he came up big with a career-high 19 boards.

"(Harden) frees everybody up," Lin said. "He knows what he's doing. We're thankful that he showed up."

Houston, which last won its first three games in 2008-09, has to like its chances of matching that start given its recent results against Portland (1-1).

The Rockets have limited the Blazers to an average of 88.7 points in taking 13 of 15 home matchups. They also won twice on the road to sweep last season's three-game series, though each win came by seven points or fewer.

Portland beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-106 in Wednesday's season opener before kicking off a three-game trip Friday with a 106-92 loss to the Thunder.

Oklahoma City shot 51.3 percent from the field while the Blazers were limited to 36.0 percent. Portland went 1-11 last season when shooting under 40.0 percent.

"We competed for most of the game," first-year coach Terry Stotts said. "We had a hard time putting the ball in the basket."

LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 15 rebounds while Damian Lillard scored 21 to go along with seven assists. Lillard, who joined Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas as the only players to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in their NBA debuts with 23 and 11 against the Lakers, is quickly making a name for himself.

"It's not really about how I play," said Lillard, the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft. "It's more about the team making a few more shots to get the win."

Aldridge has averaged 22.6 points in eight road matchups versus Houston dating to 2007-08 - his third-highest mark in any opposing arena over that stretch.

The Blazers haven't opened 0-2 on the road since losing their first three contests as the visiting team in 2008-09.

Harden has recorded 19.6 points per game - 6.6 more than his career mark - in his last five matchups against Portland.

Portland gets 95-85 OT win over Rockets

By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Posted Nov 04 2012 12:17AM

HOUSTON (AP) The way LaMarcus Aldridge was playing on Saturday night, Damian Lillard knew the Rockets would focus on the Trail Blazers' star in overtime.

When the rookie started getting more open looks, he delivered.

Lillard scored 20 points, including eight in overtime, and the Trail Blazers slowed down James Harden in a 95-85 win over Houston.

"(Aldridge) had it rolling, he was dominating the game offensively, and I just wanted to make sure I was in the position to knock the shots down," Lillard said. "(Aldridge) got going and I was able to get easier shots."

Aldridge finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two blocks for the Trail Blazers. All but four of Lillard's points came in the second half. He also had nine assists and six rebounds.

Lillard and Nicolas Batum each made a 3 to help Portland open an 87-81 lead in the extra session. Harden then made a pair of free throws before Lillard converted a reverse layup. His second 3 of overtime pushed Portland's lead to 93-85 with 1:25 remaining.

"He made big shots for us, and that's what we need from him," Aldridge said of the first-round pick.

Harden led the Rockets with 24 points in his home debut, but he wasn't as dominant as he was in the first two games. He scored 37 and a career-high 45 points after he was acquired in a deal with Oklahoma City last week. The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year signed a five-year, $80 contract extension on Wednesday.

Batum had 17 points, Wesley Matthews scored 16 and J.J. Hickson added nine points and 12 rebounds for Portland.

Jeremy Lin had 13 points and seven assists in his home debut for the Rockets, who lost for the first time this season.

"It wasn't the prettiest game today and I think both sides struggled to hit shots," Lin said. "That's the way it goes sometimes."

The game was tied with 1:17 to go before Lin made a layup while being fouled by Hickson. He sunk the free throw to give Houston an 81-78 lead.

Matthews tied it again with a 3 with just under a minute left. He also guarded Harden most of the night.

"When you put up 45 the night before, it kind of wears you out," Matthews said. "We are friends, but when it's tipoff time there are no friends."

Houston had a chance to win it in regulation, but Portland knocked the ball out of Harden's hands seconds before the buzzer.

"It was good defense," he said. "I just lost the ball."

Portland led by five early in the fourth quarter before Marcus Morris hit consecutive 3-pointers to give Houston a 69-68 lead.

"We didn't get quality shots," Houston coach Kevin McHale said. "We got to get better at that."

Dozens of fake beards made to resemble Harden's trademark look dotted the sellout crowd of 18,140. The Rockets were selling them at the team store on Saturday night to take advantage of the excitement created by their newest acquisition. Houston's mascot Clutch even got in on the fun during a break in the third quarter and donned a fake beard, too.

Harden said he tweaked an ankle in the game and it slowed him a bit.

"But I don't like to make excuses," he said. "I had opportunities to make plays and to make shots and I just didn't."

Portland used a 12-4 run at the beginning of the second half to tie it at 49 as the Rockets struggled to find a rhythm in the third quarter.

Harden didn't score after halftime until he converted a three-point play with just over four minutes remaining in the third, giving Houston a 58-57 lead.

The Trail Blazers answered with seven straight points.

An alley-oop dunk by Morris got Houston rolling again and it trailed 64-63 entering the fourth quarter.

Harden grabbed a microphone and welcomed fans to the game before the national anthem, and got the team going by scoring Houston's first six points. He had 10 at the end of the first quarter to help the Rockets lead 19-17.

Houston opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run. The Trail Blazers' first points in the second came on a 3 by Matthews less than eight minutes before halftime.

That was the first of seven straight points for Portland before Lin got Houston going again by hitting a nifty one-handed layup and the foul shot.

The Rockets led 45-37 at halftime.

NOTES: Omer Asik, who had a career-high 19 rebounds on Friday, had 15 rebounds for Houston and Morris finished with 13 points. ... Chandler Parsons had 12 rebounds for the Rockets. ... Aldridge has scored at least 20 points in each of his last nine regular-season games against Houston.

Notebook: Trail Blazers 95, Rockets 85

Matt Miller, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:55 PM - Updated Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:55 PM

THE FACTS: James Harden received plenty of praise for his outstanding performance over the season's first two games. After going into an offensive funk and making a critical defensive error that arguably cost his team a victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, Harden will likely hear a different form of feedback.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Nicolas Batum netted all 17 of his points, collected five steals and blocked two shots after halftime and rookie Damian Lillard added 20 points, nine assists and six boards as the Blazers (2-1) spoiled Harden and Jeremy Lin's Toyota Center debut with a 95-85 overtime victory. Harden led Houston (2-1) with 24 points on 8-for-24 shooting, while Lin finished with 13 points, seven assists and three steals.

QUOTABLE: "I like every challenge. Defense is where I hang my hat. ... I look at it as an opportunity to show [what I can do]. Every time I'm not on the All-Defensive team that pisses me off. I'm checking the best player every night ... and I feel like I'm not getting credit for it." -- Wesley Matthews on what motivates him to defend the opponent's best player on a regular basis.

THE STAT: Portland let the Rockets score 13 points off its nine turnovers in the first half, but its transition defense improved greatly in the second half. With Houston only able to generate two points off seven Blazer turnovers after halftime, Portland found an effective formula for slowing the game's tempo and the Rockets' offense.

TURNING POINT: The Blazers found the range from the perimeter at the beginning of overtime, building an 87-81 lead after Batum and Lillard drained 3-pointers. Lillard added another trey later in the extra session, a figurative dagger that stretched Portland's advantage to 93-85 with 1:25 remaining.

BAD MOVE: Harden left Matthews wide open for a game-tying 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation after he helped Patrick Patterson guard Aldridge on the low block. Aldridge had a distinct advantage on the play, but Harden should not have rotated off Matthews, considering the Rockets would have maintained a one-point edge had Aldridge scored an easy bucket.

NOT: After quickly netting 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting, Harden finally showed signs of regression by missing six consecutive shots. Harden continued to create great opportunities at the rim when he drove into the lane, but his finishes simply did not drop. Those misfires certainly affected the fourth-year guard, who struggled mightily from that point while dealing with a strong defensive effort from Matthews.

QUOTABLE II: "Wes is a warrior. He took a challenge on James Harden and was physical and tenacious. ... He's as good a competitor as I've been around."

-- Blazers coach Terry Stotts on Matthews' value to the team.

HOT: The rookie Lillard handled the pressure-packed fourth and overtime periods like a savvy veteran, pouring in 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting to go with three assists and only one turnover.

GOOD MOVE: Portland gained control of the game by cranking up the intensity on the defensive end after halftime. With more emphasis on neutralizing the Rockets' ball movement, as well as Harden and Lin's penetration, the Blazers made Houston look helpless on the offensive end for most of the third quarter. Portland forced seven turnovers and limited the Rockets to 7-for-21 shooting from the field in that period.

NOTABLE: Lillard has matched Geoff Petrie's franchise record for most consecutive 20-point performances to begin a season (3). He will look to claim sole possession of this record in Monday's meeting with Dallas. ... With the win, the Blazers snapped a four game losing streak against Houston.

UP NEXT: For the Blazers, Monday @ Dallas, Thursday vs. L.A. Clippers (TNT), Saturday vs. San Antonio. For the Rockets, Wednesday vs. Denver, Friday @ Memphis (NBA TV), Saturday vs. Detroit.

• Trail Blazers: Pavlovic, Williams
• Rockets: Smith, White

• Trail Blazers: --
• Rockets: --

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 14

• Arena: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #56 Mark Ayotte, #11 Derrick Collins
• Attendance: 18140
• Duration: 2:19