Jason Friedman

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets Associate Head Coach Jeff Bzdelik announced his retirement today following over four decades of coaching, including 21 in the NBA.

“Making this decision has been extremely difficult,” said Bzdelik.  “I truly love the game of basketball, but after 42 years of coaching I would like to dedicate more of my time to my family, friends, and other interests. I am very grateful to many people who have made this journey so fulfilling.”

“I want to thank Jeff for his dedication towards helping make our two seasons in Houston so successful and to congratulate him on a terrific career,” said Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni.  “He is a true professional and a great teacher of the game.  I wish Jeff and his lovely wife, Nina, the best in their next phase of life.”

Bzdelik joined the Rockets prior to the 2016-17 season with his focus on improving the team’s defense.  According to NBA.com, the Rockets ranked third in the NBA in defensive rating over their final 45 games last season on their way to recording a franchise record 65 wins.  Houston won 73% of its games in Bzdelik’s two seasons on D’Antoni’s staff.

Prior to joining the Rockets, Bzdelik spent two seasons as an assistant coach with Memphis.  During that stretch, the Grizzlies allowed the fifth fewest points of any team in the league.

Following a six-year run as an assistant coach on Wes Unseld’s staff in Washington from 1988-1994, Bzdelik spent a season as a scout for Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley in New York before joining Riley’s coaching staff in Miami.  The Heat made the playoffs in all six of Bzdelik’s seasons with the team from 1995-96 through 2000-01.

In 2002-03, Bzdelik was named head coach of Denver and in his second season, he guided the Nuggets to their first playoff appearance in nine years.  Bzdelik also served as a head coach on the collegiate level for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (1986-88), Air Force (2005-07), Colorado (2007-10), and Wake Forest (2010-14).

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Rockets Jeff Bzdelik Announces Retirement

Via GQ - James Harden knew what he was getting into, back in 2016, when he signed with Trolli, arch-nemesis of candymaker Haribo, the dominant player for decades in the Gummi space. He approached Trolli, and together they were taking a shot at the king—Haribo, the Golden State Warriors of the Gummi world. Harden will make $28 million from the Houston Rockets this season, plus $15 million more from Adidas, but it is clear which of his benefactors has his true heart. Teams and shoe contracts come and go—Harden is already on his second of each—but candy is forever.

What unites Harden and Trolli is a kinship of temperament, also known as a "brand identity," which, Harden tells me, boils down to one word: "weird." So far their partnership has yielded sour Gummis shaped like Harden's line of Adidas sneakers; a set of MVB (Most Valuable Beard) trading cards, including one that depicts Harden surfing through space on the back of his bulldog, Zeus; and one of the most surreal series of ads ever filmed by a pro athlete. In one spot, a bunch of Harden-head nesting dolls pop open, including one that has laser beams shooting from its eyes.

Harden says his creative process with Trolli is: Trolli comes up with some bonkers idea "and they bring it to me, and then they're like, 'Oh, I don't think he would do that—it's just too crazy.' And I'm like, 'Yeah, I'll do it.' " It's not so much that he likes to zig when everyone else zags, or that every day is opposite day for James Harden. It's more like a genetic urge to subvert expectations. He's constantly staring at the Matrix, trying to figure how to be the glitch.

Which is all well and good, but, in candymaking as in basketball, is weirdness really a recipe for knocking off a juggernaut...

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James Harden Isn't Playing Around

Houston:                                                                  

Points: Motiejunas 18                                             

Assists: Motiejunas 6                                              

The Rockets entered the night tied for their longest win streak in franchise history (5 games) against Phoenix and looking to sweep the season-series against the Suns for the first time in franchise history.  But fell to 3-1 against the Suns this season with the loss. 

The Rockets led 37-33 after 1Q (tying the most combined 1Q points this season 70 vs. POR on 12/22). The Rockets shot 16-25 FG in the frame (.640).

Houston trailed 61-62 at the end of the 2Q.  The Rockets have scored 60+ in a half in 18 games now.  With the loss, the Rockets are now 16-2 in those contests.  Houston fell to 5-16 when trailing after 2Q.

The Rockets trailed 86-99 after 3Q.  Houston fell to 8-15 when trailing headed in to the fourth. Houston trailed by as much as 15 at the start of the 4Q.  The Rockets were able to cut the lead to 100-105 with 5:32 remaining, but couldn’t get any closer. 

Rockets forward Trevor Ariza has scored 15+ points in each of the last four games and had 15 points tonight.  Including tonight, when Ariza goes for 15+ this season the Rockets are 20-7.  Ariza also had two steals tonight, moving him within five steals of 1,000 for his career.  His 15 points and 12 rebounds give him his third double-double of the season and a new season-high for rebounds (previous: 11 vs. GSW on 11/8/14).

The Suns and Rockets entered tonight 2nd and 3rd in the NBA in fast break points per game respectively at 18.7 and 18.3 fast break points per game.  Tonight, the Rockets narrowly led the Suns 24-22 in fast break points, but trailed 13-6 in second chance points.

The Rockets bench outscored the Suns bench 41-25 behind 14 points from Corey Brewer and 17 points from Josh Smith. 

Suns guard Eric Bledsoe tied an opponent season-high for points in a half with 23 in the first half (Curry, Irving) and finished with 34, the third most the Rockets have given up to any opponent. 

The Rockets went 10-34 (.294) from beyond the arc tonight.  This was the Houston’s NBA-best 50th game with 10+ 3PT FG made (37-13 in those games).  Houston is within one game of the NBA record for games with 10+ 3PT FG in a season: 51 by NYK in 2012-13.

The Toyota Center had a sellout crowd of 18,340 tonight; this is the 35th sellout for the Rockets in 36 home games to open the season. The Rockets witnessed a franchise-high 38 home sellouts in 2013-14.

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Post Game Notes - 03/21/2015

After easing a pair of newcomers into the lineup and finally having a nearly healthy set of bodies to utilize each night, January should present some real interesting fantasy match-ups . Up ahead are a pair of eastern conference swings and a challenging west coast trip, but only two sets of back-to-backs. Utah (13-23) vs Rockets (25-11), Sat, Jan 10Evidence would suggest that the Rockets may play slower than they typically like, as despite their poor record, the Jazz do a fine job of getting most teams to play at their snail’s pace.  What the Jazz don’t do is force a lot of missed shots. That has changed slightly as center Rudy Gobert has become a more significant part of the rotation over the last month. Their opponent's offensive rating when he is on the floor is 104.5. It jumps to 115.6 when he is out of the game. He leads the NBA in blocks per 36 minutes and his length could be a challenge for the Rockets as they attack the paint in this game. But on the perimeter, the Rockets long-range gunners should have an easier go of it. Utah allows 46.8% shooting overall (26th in the league) and 37.4 percent from three (25th). But those numbers have improved with Gobert now more involved. Utah is also one of the weaker 3-point shooting teams, but on some nights they can really be glass cleaners with their sizable front line rotation of Gobert, Derrick Favors, Enes Kanter and Trevor Booker. Rockets (25-11) at Brooklyn (16-19), Mon, Jan 12Brooklyn’s another team that sits near the bottom of the league in pace, which is the biggest reason opposing players don't pile up great fantasy statistics against them. However, their bigs are now finally on the court together, so it might not be quite so easy for the Rockets to get whatever they want on the interior. The matchup could still be a good one for the Rockets 3-point shooters, since the Nets do not close out on shooters very well. They allow 3-point shots to drop at a 36% success rate, which puts them near the bottom of the league. They have been considerably better over their last three weeks, but just like everyone else in the league, they likely will struggle to keep the Rockets from getting to the free throw line.Rockets (25-11) at Orlando (13-25), Wed, Jan 14There are only a couple of teams scoring fewer points per game than the Magic, and at the Rockets typical pace, Houston should be able to hold them down. Nikola Vucevic is a pretty consistent double-double machine and even against the Rockets frontline, that would be something to look for. Their offseason trades improved their 3-point shooting tremendously. They have a very young backcourt with the majority of their minutes going to two of their most recent top draft picks (Oladipo and Payton) and that bodes well for the Rockets experienced backcourt. Orlando also routinely gets hammered on the boards, so look for the Rockets to command the offensive glass, which could lead to big nights for Houston’s interior players. Additionally, they are last in the NBA in blocked shots, pointing once again to a significant advantage at the rim for Houston.Oklahoma City (17-19) vs Rockets (25-11), Thu, Jan 15       The best thing to know about this matchup is that these teams already played the fantasy dud of the season when they each scored under 70 points in a 69-65 Rockets victory in November.  However, OKC played that game without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.  Do not look for the Rockets to fare much better near the rim, as the Thunder shot-blockers and post defenders have been a constant thorn in the Rockets' side. Additionally, Kevin Durant had a fantasy field day against the Rockets in four meetings last season, although three of those four games were without Westbrook in the lineup. Westbrook has been playing at a very high level since his return from injury this season and is a threat to go off any night - even against a defensive stalwart such as Patrick Beverley. Golden State (28-5) vs Rockets (25-11), Sat, Jan 17 In two meetings with Golden State so far this season, Houston has shot below 26% on 3-pointers and scored just 93 and 87 points.  The one Warrior to be careful with fantasy-wise is Klay Thompson, who while playing at very high level against most of the NBA, has not been as successful against Houston. In his last five games against the Rockets, including two meetings this season, Thompson is shooting 32% overall and just 6% on 3-pointers. He's missed all but two of his 30 3-point attempts against Houston in those five games. With Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala as perimeter defensive options and Marreese Speights and Andrew Bogut as interior defenders, scoring against Golden State is always a challenge. Indiana (14-23) vs Rockets (25-11), Mon, Jan 19Here's a game in which to expect some strong fantasy performances. The Pacers will play hard, but they just don't have the bodies to repel the Rockets. They allow the fewest points per game in the league (96.6), but the individual matchups seem to favor the Rockets offense, as their backcourt should be able to attack the Pacers guards repeatedly. The Pacers can show some resistance at the goal, but still not a strong enough reason not to look for strong production from the Rockets frontline. Rockets (25-11) at Golden State (28-5), Wed, Jan 21See above.Rockets (25-11) at Phoenix (22-16), Fri, Jan 23         This starts a three game stretch that should produce some big individual nights for the Rockets. The pace of this game should be fast, as one should expect both backcourts to be launching shots from both inside and out at a fairly high rate. There are matchup nightmares on both sides of the court for each team to exploit. Phoenix loves to play small and super athletic, going with a three point guard lineup.  While this has presented a challenge for Houston’s perimeter defense, the Suns have typically chosen not to double-team the post in the past, which has led to some great numbers in the paint for Houston.Rockets (25-11) at Los Angeles Lakers (11-25), Sun, Jan 25It’s hard to believe that the Rockets didn't light up the scoreboard in either one of their prior meetings with the Lakers. LA’s backcourt does not defend the 3-point shot well, allowing teams to make better than 38% of their 3-pointers, which ranks 29th (out of 30) in the league. The Lakers are not a good rebounding team either. Expect better production out of the Rockets offense in this contest.Mavericks (26-11) vs Rockets (25-11), Wed, Jan 28The pace in this should again favor big numbers. In the recent past, Monta Ellis has been a match-up nightmare for the Rockets, but things have changed with Rajon Rondo now running the offense, as they now showcase a more balanced distribution of shots.  This isn't necessarily a great thing for fantasy production (or team performance). His addition has meant the subtraction of Brandon Wright, and while the Mavericks were actually a +6.1 defensive unit with Wright off the court, his exit really hurts the Mavericks depth up front. After Tyson Chandler, the Mavs really don't have anyone to match up with Howard and that could produce a big night from the Rockets man in the middle. Truthfully, there should be big numbers all around, because even though the Rockets are a top defensive team, they almost always increase the pace against the Mavericks and end up in an offensive showdown. Rockets (25-11) at Celtics (12-21), Fri, Jan 30The Celtics are one of the few eastern conference teams that will actually put points on the board; however, they also allow the second most points. Aside from Avery Bradley who is one of the league's best perimeter defenders, the Celtics have not been a great defensive unit and the Rockets should have favorable offensive match-ups inside and out. The way the Rockets frontcourt has come together lately, it would be reasonable to expect the Rockets to have strong performances against the Celtics in the paint.Rockets (25-11) at Detroit (12-23), Sat, Jan 31          Lately the Pistons have been a superior rebounding and decent rim-protecting team, which should lower the chances that the Rockets front court players go off for big nights. This is a game for the Rockets star in the backcourt to try to push the pace and create his own offense. They do not defend the 3-point line well, allowing 35.9% shooting on 3-pointers and the Rockets should be able to attack the basket and look for productive kick-outs.

draftkings-fantasy-outlook-january

DraftKings Fantasy Outlook - January

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets guard James Harden was named today by the NBA as Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Dec. 22 through Sunday, Dec. 28. It marks the second time this season he has won the award and the seventh such honor of his career (Player of the Week for weeks ending: 11/4/12, 1/6/13, 3/24/13, 3/2/14, 3/9/14 and 12/14/14). With seven Player of the Week Honors, Harden ties Tracy McGrady for the second most of such honors in franchise history (Olajuwon, 12).  This is the third consecutive season Harden has won multiple Western Conference Player of the Week Honors and it marks the 13th time a Rockets player has won multiple Player of the Week Honors in the same season overall.

Harden (6-5, 220, Arizona State) averaged 34.7 points (.557, 34-61 FG; .474, 9-19 3FG; .900, 27-30 FT), 7.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in leading Houston to a 2-1 week with a home win over the Portland Trail Blazers and a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The 34.7 points per game led all Western Conference scorers in the week. He started the week with his NBA leading third performance of 40 points or more with a 44 point, seven assist and five steal performance in just 31 minutes played against the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 22, tying his season-high for points (previously set on 12/11 at Sacramento).  This made Harden only the fifth player in NBA history to reach the 40 point, five assist and five steal plateau in less than 35 minutes of playing time.  It also made Harden the only player in franchise history to reach the plateau multiple times (Olajuwon and Drexler each did it once).  Harden proceeded to pour in 32 points and 10 assists in a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on 12/26.  This marked Harden’s NBA leading 12th game with 30 or more points and his eighth double-double of the season.  Harden finished the week 28 points and 5 assists against the San Antonio Spurs on 12/28.

harden-again-named-player-of-the-week

Harden Again Named Player of the Week

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets guard James Harden was named today by the NBA as Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Dec. 8 through Sunday, Dec. 14. It marks the first time this season he has won the award, but the sixth such honor of his career (Player of the Week for weeks ending: 11/4/12, 1/6/13, 3/24/13, 3/2/14 and 3/9/14). With six Player of the Week Honors, Harden ties Yao Ming for the third most of such honors in franchise history (Olajuwon, 12 and McGrady 7).

Harden (6-5, 220, Arizona State) averaged 34.0 points (.443, 35-79 FG; .348, 8-23 3FG; .857, 24-48 FT), 7.3 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in leading Houston to a 2-1 week with an overtime road win over the Sacramento Kings and a home win over the Denver Nuggets. He started the week with his NBA leading eighth and ninth performances of 30 points or more with 34 points against the Golden state Warriors on Dec. 10 and a season-high 44 points against the Sacramento Kings in a 113-109 overtime victory on Dec. 11.  The 44 point output in Sacramento marked Harden’s sixth performance of 40 points or more in his career.  James Harden finished the week with a 24 point, 10 rebound and 10 assist performance in a 105-93 win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 13 marking the third triple-double of his career.

harden-named-player-of-the-week

Harden Named Player of the Week

Despite missing both James Harden and Dwight Howard (rest), the Rockets overcame early shooting woes and rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Suns 95-92 and move to 3-0 in the preseason.

Trevor Ariza again started the game with the sort of intensity Coach McHale has preached throughout training camp, grabbing 3 offensive boards and stealing an inbound pass. Ariza's hustle offset the Rockets early struggles from behind the arc. The team went 0/12 before Nick Johnson finally hit their first three well into the second quarter.

However, the defense held tight. Tarik Black followed his impressive double-double against Memphis with a stellar night patrolling the paint, including a two-handed blocked shot that would make J.J. Watt proud. Going into the break, the Rockets led 44-40.

"It just shows that your shot isn’t always going to fall. The offense isn’t always going to work, but if you put forth the effort on the defensive end you will give yourself a chance to win and that’s what we did tonight," Ariza said.

In the third, Phoenix went on a 17-4 run thanks to a quick 7 points from Goran Dragic and 6 from Eric Bledsoe. Troy Daniels checked in and once again proved that no spot on the court is out of his range, but despite his sharpshooting, Phoenix held a 6-point lead after three.

In the fourth, Terrence Jones put up 6 of his game-high 16 points as the rally was on. Isaiah Canaan led the charge and ultimately hit the dagger free throw that put it away. Canaan filled the stat sheet with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists.

"It's my job to be ready when my name is called," Canaan said. "I try to always stay ready. Coach wants to see good energy on both sides and I'm going to do whatever I can to help this team win."

The Rockets head to New Orleans on Tuesday for a preseason matchup with former Rocket Omer Asik and the Pelicans.

recap-rockets-vs-suns-10-13-2014

Recap: Rockets vs. Suns - 10/13/2014

Kostas Papanikolaou made his blog debut with NBA GREECE and he will be sharing his thoughts and photos throughout the NBA season here on Rockets.com

I am already in Houston for two weeks and I am trying to adjust in a new way of life and a new chapter of my career. Life in the US has a totally different rhythm in comparison with what I’m used in Greece. There are huge differences even in the way of life. Even going out for dinner, I have to plan in advance and not make it a last minute thing. Another difference is that downtown Houston is like a business center, so there is not too much to do there.  I heard that the people in Houston prefer to live in the suburbs. Downtown Athens or Barcelona are much more crowded than downtown Houston, which is quieter, especially during the off hours.

Right now, I am in the process of house hunting. Still haven’t found a place. I guess I’m thinking with the European mentality. I would love to get a house next to the Toyota Center, like the hotel I stay at right now, which is next door. Since my family and friends will be visiting town a lot, I am looking for a place that will serve them as well, when I’m on the road. In the sense that they can go for coffee by foot or for a walk to the mall.

Finding a place is the last thing I need to take care of. Everything else is been taken care by the Rockets. First of all this is a first class organization with an unbelievable practice facility. Everybody from the team embraced me from day one. Everybody, from his standpoint, is looking out for me. There is a great sense of familiarity and warmth within the organization. The facilities are off the chain! You can’t find them in Europe. I have played in the two greatest clubs, Olympiacos and Barcelona, but NBA seems to be light years ahead!

Imagine that there is a machine that passes the ball, like a cannon, that gives you the chance to shoot by yourself without having someone to rebound the ball for you. I have access 24/7 and I can go to shoot any time I feel like. There is a different approach here. They provide you with everything and they expect you to be a pro. They are not going to come after you and chase you like a baby, in order for you to practice. They tell you “I give you everything. How far do you want to go? As long as you want it, they are going to help you. If you don’t want it, then there is no pressure, they will go to the next player”.

Trevor Ariza, was the first teammate I met while in Houston. What a great guy. He took me out for lunch, along with Isaiah Canaan and Troy Daniels. It was a wonderful gesture from Trevor. Off course I had the chance to catch up with Pat (Beverley). The minute he saw me he started talking trash in Greek! I feel fortunate that I will have my old teammates, like Pat, Josh (Powell) and Joey (Dorsey). It will help me adjust faster.

I feel really good within the team. We scrimmaged once, while I have been here. I am the same age with most of my teammates, so we have a lot of things in common. I love it here.

I had the chance to talk with coach McHale. He asked me not to become soft here in the NBA and he wants me to play as tough as I did in Europe. He wants me to focus on defense and be a great rebounder. He doesn’t want me to hesitate to take the open shots, especially from the corners. Not to have second thoughts about shooting it. He explained to me that a player which is tough on defense, rebounds well and has a good shooting percentage, is going to have a long NBA career because every team needs someone like that.

In these few days here in Houston, since I had to travel to Canada for my working visa, I had the chance to meet with many Greeks. They showered me and my agent, George Sferopoulos, with love. They are very enthusiastic and helpful. I really appreciate that.

Dimitris Fetokakis is one of them. Everybody knows him in Houston, because he is the owner of the famous place “Niko Niko’s”. We already hang out together and go for dinner. One of his spots is in the heart of Houston and they serve the best freddo cappuccino and frappe. His other two spots have the best gyros in town!

Also, on Sunday I had the chance to meet some other successful Greeks that live in the US. I was invited from the vice president of the Hellenic Professional Society of Texas, Sarantos Milios, to their annual potluck. Greek Americans are so enthusiastic and always willing to help.

A few hours later I watched my first NFL game, with the Texans hosting the Bills.

There I met, Spero Dedes, another fellow Greek that is very successful on TV, as a play-by-play announcer on the CBS network. We met for few minutes, during halftime, and he is an exceptional guy. They even let me watch them while they were broadcasting the game live on TV. It was a great experience. I will meet with Spero again, when I will be in Los Angeles for the opening night game against the Lakers.

I will try to communicate through my blog as often as I can, not only by writing, but by capturing and sharing photos with all of you. Though they told me that the pace of an NBA season is frenetic.