Wizards-Rockets Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Dec 12 2012 12:35AM

The Houston Rockets are still trying to figure out how to blend the talents of James Harden and Jeremy Lin.

Getting their starting guards back on the court together would help.

Harden and Lin are both questionable with ankle injuries Wednesday night when the Rockets try to avoid a season-high fourth straight defeat with the league-worst Washington Wizards in town.

The addition of Lin, who signed in July after a breakout season with New York, appeared to be the Rockets' headlining-grabbing move during their busy offseason, but that changed four days before opening night with the surprising deal that landed Harden from Oklahoma City.

While that move has certainly given Houston (9-11) a top-flight scorer - last season's Sixth Man of the Year is averaging 24.7 points - the chemistry between the pair is still a work in progress.

Harden is hitting a career-worst 34.5 percent from 3-point range and committing a career-high 4.1 turnovers per game, while Lin has underperformed, shooting a woeful 39.5 percent and scoring in single digits in half of the team's games.

Coach Kevin McHale needs these two to start jelling - they lead all Rockets duos in minutes played with nearly 557, but they're a minus-32 when on the court together.

McHale was pleased to see Lin break out of his mini-slump in Monday's 134-126 overtime loss to San Antonio - he hit four 3-pointers and poured in a career high-tying 38 points - but it came with Harden watching from the bench with a sprained right ankle.

"We've got to find ways of making sure we get (both guys involved)," McHale told the Rockets' official website. "... Jeremy can get to his right hand on the left side and James can get to his left hand on the right side, so you can do a lot on both sides where both guys get to play to their strong hand when they're driving. We've got to get better at some areas and put in some stuff that will allow both guys to play better. They're going to be fine."

Harden returned to practice on Tuesday, but Lin sprained his left ankle during the end of that workout.

If Lin can't go, reserve Toney Douglas should see more minutes as the Rockets try to avoid their worst skid since a six-game slide spanning April 11-19.

Douglas has 62 points in Houston's last four contests - second to Harden's 83 during this stretch - to boost his average to 7.7.

The Wizards (3-15) are dealing with their own injury concerns as they've been without star point guard John Wall (left knee) all season and are trying to get on track without starting forward Trevor Booker (knee), Trevor Ariza (strained left calf) and A.J. Price (fractured right hand).

Washington, though, has a chance to win two straight for the first time this season after posting its first road victory in nine tries on Tuesday, 77-70 over New Orleans.

Jordan Crawford, the team leader with 14.8 points per game, scored 26 - a season-best for a Wizard.

"I didn't care how many shots I shot (a season-high 24). Turnovers. Nothing," Crawford said. "I just wanted to do whatever it took to win."

The Wizards have split their last six after their 0-12 start, yet they've dropped three straight and 21 of 25 at Houston since 1987-88 after getting routed 103-76 on Jan. 27.

Harden scores 31 to lead Rockets over Wizards

By JORDAN GODWIN
Posted Dec 13 2012 12:50AM

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden didn't let a tender ankle prevent him from returning to his new role as leader of the Houston Rockets.

Harden returned from an ankle sprain that sidelined him for one game and scored 31 points to lead Houston to a 99-93 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

After suffering the injury Saturday against Dallas and missing Monday night's loss to San Antonio, Harden returned to lead the Rockets to their first victory under coach Kevin McHale in more than a month.

"That was the kind of James game where he just makes plays and attacks," McHale said. "James was the only guy that had a rhythm early in the game."

Harden scored 17 first-quarter points, going 6 of 7 from the field and hitting all four of his free throws.

"I was in the zone and I was feeling it," Harden said. "I was finding ways to hit shots and get to the line."

After matching a career-high 38 points on Monday night, Jeremy Lin had a subdued role in Harden's return, scoring just 10 points, while adding six assists and five rebounds for the Rockets.

"(Harden) came out on fire, and we rode his scoring for a while," Lin said. "It's not just me and him - there's five of us out there. We're just trying to figure it all out and find a happy medium where we kind of maximize everybody."

The Wizards threatened late in the fourth quarter, but Chandler Parsons scored eight straight points for Houston in the final three minutes, including two 3-pointers, to secure the victory. Parsons finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

"It's frustrating because the first three quarters, I couldn't hit a shot," Parsons said.

It was Houston's first victory since McHale rejoined the team last Saturday after taking a leave of absence for almost a month following the death of his 23-year-old daughter. McHale left the team Nov. 10 to be with his family as his daughter's health worsened. Alexandra "Sasha" McHale died Nov. 24 of complications from Lupus.

Rookie Bradley Beal had 20 points to lead Washington, which had five players in double-figures, including four starters. Emeka Okafor, a Houston native, had a season-high 19 points for Washington to go with six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

"I was born and raised here so I feel comfortable," Okafor said. "I had a good flow going, and my teammates were finding me."

The Rockets limited the Wizards to 39 percent shooting from the field, marking just the second time this season Houston has kept its opponent below 40 percent.

"We just take too many tough, bad shots in situations sometimes," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "You have to move the ball and we don't and that gets us in trouble and we fall in a hole."

After the Wizards scored the first two points, Houston didn't trail until a brief spell midway through the third quarter. Harden hit a 3-pointer with less than seven minutes left in the third, giving Houston a one-point lead, and the Rockets never trailed again.

Beal hit a 3 with one minute remaining in the first half to tie the game at 40. The Wizards trailed by as many as 14 in the first half before going on a 9-0 run late in the second quarter.

Toney Douglas hit a 3-pointer from beyond the half-court line as time expired in the second to put the Rockets up 45-42 at the break.

Jordan Crawford started at point for Washington, while A.J. Price remained out with a fractured right hand suffered last Saturday against Golden State. John Wall has missed the entire season with a stress injury in his left knee.

The Wizards also played without Trevor Ariza, who strained his left calf last Tuesday against Miami, and Trevor Booker (right knee), who started the first six games.

Notes: Chris Singleton had a career-high four blocks for Washington. ... Greg Smith and Patrick Patterson both registered a season-high three blocks. ... Houston C Omer Asik had 16 rebounds, recording double-digit rebounds for the second straight game and sixth time in his last nine outings.

Notebook: Rockets 99, Wizards 93

Matt Miller, for NBA.com
Posted Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:39 PM - Updated Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:39 PM

THE FACTS: The Houston Rockets' high-octane offense looked as out of sorts as it has all season. But that did not stop the Rockets from running the length of the court often enough to knock off the woeful Washington Wizards.

James Harden scored 31 points on 10-for-20 shooting, and Chandler Parsons poured in 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as Houston snapped a three-game losing streak with a 99-93 win Wednesday night at Toyota Center. The Rockets (10-11), winners of seven of their last nine home games, improved to 7-1 this season against Eastern Conference competition.

Rookie Bradley Beal led the Wizards (3-16), who fell to 1-9 on the road, with 20 points and six assists. Emeka Okafor, who was a standout player at nearby Bellaire High School, added a season-high 19 points on 9-for-12 shooting and six rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "We didn't come out with that intensity or that energy, and we didn't maintain it throughout the whole game. We took a step backwards. We weren't pushing the ball. We weren't sharing the ball. We had too many turnovers. ... It wasn't a great night for us."
-- Rockets forward Patrick Patterson

THE STAT: The Rockets were hoping for a higher-scoring, faster-paced game, but they still pushed the ball effectively at times. Houston finished with 24 fast-break points against a Washington defense that entered Wednesday allowing an average of only 9.2 fast-break points over its last six games.

TURNING POINT: Immediately after the Wizards took their first lead of second half, 52-51 with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter, the Rockets cranked up their defensive intensity and took control of the game with a 15-2 run over the next 4:20. Houston blocked three shots and forced three turnovers during the spurt and never relinquished the lead again.

QUOTABLE II: "There were moments when we didn't make shots, and we weren't getting the stops we wanted."
-- Wizards guard Bradley Beal

HOT: Harden netted as many points as Washington in the opening period, as the 6-foot-5 guard poured in 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting to help Houston build an early double-digit advantage.

NOT: Including Wednesday's 39.3 percent (35-for-89) shooting effort, the Wizards have shot 38.4 percent (99-for-258) from the field over their last three games. Washington has not connected on more than 42.5 percent of its field-goal attempts in each of its last three contests.

QUOTABLE III: "We have to play more inside-out. We're taking too many tough outside shots. You have to move the ball, and we don't, which gets us in trouble, and we fall in a hole."
-- Wizards coach Randy Wittman

GOOD MOVE: One game after Rockets starting point guard Jeremy Lin lit up the San Antonio Spurs for 38 points, coach Kevin McHale went with backup Toney Douglas to begin the fourth quarter. Douglas sparked Houston's struggling offense, scoring seven of the team's first nine points in the period as the Rockets extended a four-point lead to 77-68 with 8:55 remaining.

BAD MOVE: Houston allowed arguably the worst team in the league to hang around partially due to poor free-throw shooting, which is becoming a disturbingly common occurrence for the Rockets. After Wednesday's 22-for-30 (73.3 percent) performance, Houston has buried only 74.0 percent (77-for-104) of its attempts from the charity stripe over its last three games.

NOTABLE: Douglas, who scored in double figures for a season-high fifth consecutive game, drilled a shot from a few feet behind the mid-court line just before the first half ended to break a 42-42 deadlock. ... The Rockets have won four consecutive meetings with the Wizards overall and at Toyota Center. ... Houston was held to less than 107 points for the first time in seven home games, but it limited an opponent to less than 101 points for the first time in nine games overall. ... The Rockets improved to 5-2 this season when Harden reaches 30 points and 7-2 when he connects on at least 45.0 percent of his shot attempts. . ... Houston has won 25 of its last 29 December home contests. ... Washington dropped to 0-4 on the second night of a back-to-back set. ... The Wizards are now 0-8 when they attempt fewer free throws than their opponent. ... Washington fell to 0-15 when it shoots a lower percentage than its opponent. ... The Wizards' Chris Singleton blocked a career-high four shots. ... Rockets reserve center Greg Smith has swatted six shots over his last two games.

UP NEXT: For the Wizards: Friday vs. L.A. Lakers, Saturday @ Miami, Tuesday vs. Atlanta. For the Rockets: Friday vs. Boston, Sunday @ Toronto, Monday @ New York.

• Wizards: Booker, Wall
• Rockets: Machado, White

• Wizards: --
• Rockets: --

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #59 Gary Zielinski, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 13351
• Duration: 2:09