Balanced effort closes out Minnesota as Capela leads way

Rockets secure season series from Warriors as Paul, Harden set tone: Chris Paul scored a game-high 33 points on 50% shooting, while James Harden had two MVP moments in the final 80 seconds as the Rockets (32-12) completed a stirring fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 116-108. The victory clinches the season series and potential tiebreaker for Houston with two wins in three games between the two teams. The Rockets have now won seven of their past 10 games coming off the five-game losing streak in late December. Our postgame show examines all the key angles, headlined by the importance of the Rockets' impressive resiliency and why their confidence against the Warriors could pay dividends in May and June. Other angles discussed include how both star Paul and Harden (22 points, 8 assists)were at their best against elite competition, even with the latter only 20 days removed from a Grade 2 hamstring strain; the importance of veteran role players by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

31 min listen

Rockets advance to West Finals behind CP3's career game: Chris Paul (41/10) and P.J. Tucker (19/6) each set playoff career-highs in scoring as the Rockets held off the Utah Jazz in Game 5 with a 112-102 victory. With the win, Houston secured its first trip to the Western Conference Finals since 2015. James Harden (18 points, 7-of-22 FG) had an inefficient game and was described afterward as "under the weather," but the Rockets still had enough to secure the series behind Paul, Tucker, and another elite night of rim protection from Clint Capela (11 blocks in his last two games). The Jazz had a 78-75 lead going to the fourth quarter after a ridiculous third quarter from rookie Donovan Mitchell, who scored 22 in the period and directly contributed on 29 of Utah's 32 points. But the 33-year-old Paul nearly matched him with 20 in the fourth quarter, helping the nine-time All-Star secure the first conference finals appearance of his storied career. Our postgame show breaks down those storyli by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

33 min listen

Capela, bench spark Rockets as streak reaches 11: The Rockets (45-13) trailed for much of the first half, but ultimately pulled away for their 11th straight victory with an impressive 120-102 victory over Minnesota (36-26) in the first game for both teams since the All-Star break. Houston is now 3-0 vs. the Timberwolves this season. There were some signs of early rust for James Harden (31 points, 9 assists, 8-of-24 FG) and Chris Paul (14 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5-of-11 FG) after the week-plus layoff, but it ultimately didn't matter based on the strength of Clint Capela (25 points, 10-of-11 FG, 11 rebounds) on the interior vs. Karl-Anthony Towns and the collaborative contributions from the bench units in Houston's sudden 10-man rotation. In Friday's postgame show, our Ben DuBose explores those storylines and more — including the decision to stick with P.J. Tucker as the starter at power forward and how Ryan Anderson, Luc Mbah a Moute, Nene, and Joe Johnson sparked a dominant per by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

26 min listen

Game 67: Nats Prevail in Extras by Nats Chat

38 min listen

Harden, CP3 lead historic run in Game 4 rout at Minnesota: James Harden and Chris Paul were sensational with a combined 61 points (21-of-43 FG), leading the Rockets on an incredible 71-30 run in the middle of a 119-100 beatdown of Minnesota in Game 4 at Target Center. Houston now leads the Round 1 series at three games to one, with an opportunity to clinch it in Wednesday's Game 5 at Toyota Center. The Rockets trailed by seven points in the middle of the second quarter, but went on to score 50 points in the third quarter as part of the extended run to take command of the series. In addition to the scoring, Harden and Paul combined for 10 rebounds, nine assists, nine steals, and only two turnovers. Our postgame show breaks it all down, including the importance of Harden turning it around after an 0-for-7 start in the first quarter; the confidence the Rockets likely gained from this type of performance facing adversity on the road; and how Eric Gordon (18 points, 6-of-14 FG) and Clint Ca by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

28 min listen

Ep. 65: DFS Lineup Advice - Divisional Round Matchups: We're back this week with our Divisional Round DF… by FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

52 min listen

No Harden, no problem: EG stays hot, CP3 returns in rout vs. Chicago: Chris Paul (13/10) returned from a three-game absence as the Rockets extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 118-86 rout of Chicago at Toyota Center in Houston. Eric Gordon continued his run of elite shooting with a team-high 31 points on 11-of-17 from the field, including eight of Houston's 18 made three-pointers as a team. With the win, the Rockets (61-14) reduced their "magic number" to two games to clinch the West's No. 1 seed over idle Golden State (54-19). Houston, which has won 31 of its last 33 games overall, is now on its third winning streak of 10+ games this season. James Harden and center Clint Capela each sat out vs. the Bulls (24-50) for precautionary maintenance reasons, while forward Luc Mbah a Moute missed his third consecutive game with a minor case of tendonitis in his left knee. Our postgame show breaks down those storylines and more from Tuesday's win, including how continued blowouts (H by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

28 min listen

Harden returns, leads win over Spurs as No. 1 lead grows: James Harden returned from a one-game injury with 28 points, 6 points, and 6 assists on Monday as the Rockets dominated a Texas rival for a second consecutive night, defeating the Spurs 109-93 at Toyota Center. With the win, Houston (53-14) extends its lead for the top spot in the Western Conference to two games (plus the tiebreaker) over Golden State (51-16). Chris Paul (18 points, 9 assists, 8-of-11 FG in 23 minutes) was by far the most efficient player on the Rockets, who shot an uncharacteristic 13-of-44 (29.5%) from behind the three-point arc after playing five games in the past seven nights. But the tired legs on perimeter shots ultimately didn't matter, since the Rockets dominated San Antonio on the inside with a 46-24 advantage in points in the paint and a 50-36 edge in rebounding. Our postgame show explores those themes and much more, including the potential for a Rockets vs. Spurs matchup in the first round of the play by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

31 min listen

Craig Ackerman on Game 1 takeaways and Game 2 adjustments: Play-by-play broadcaster Craig Ackerman joined us Monday for a full recap of Houston's Game 1 victory, along with a look at possible adjustments both the Rockets and Timberwolves might make for Wednesday's Game 2. MVP frontrunner James Harden (44/8) was incredible in Sunday's opener, and Clint Capela (24/12) owned the interior against Minnesota's Karl Anthony-Towns (8 points, 3-of-9 FG). But despite the dominance from Harden and Capela, the Rockets had to narrowly escape with a 104-101 win amid poor shooting from role players (outside of Harden, Houston was just 3-of-25 from three-point range) and an uncharacteristically inefficient showing from Chris Paul (5-of-14 FG, 6 turnovers, 4 assists). Is the glass half-full or half-empty after a seemingly rusty performance in Game 1, and is it reasonable to expect a bounce-back in Game 2? Ackerman offers insight on those themes and much more in Monday's show. Tune in! #Rockets #Timberw by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

34 min listen

Harden leads weekend road sweep as No. 1 seed nears: James Harden (34/12) and Chris Paul (18/9/8) combined for 52 points and 21 assists on 50% shooting on Sunday as Houston won its fifth consecutive game with a 129-120 victory at Minnesota. Coming off Saturday's 107-101 win in New Orleans, it was an impressive showing on both ends of a road back-to-back for the Rockets (56-14) — each against probable Western Conference playoff teams. With the two wins by Houston and losses by Golden State (53-17) on Friday and Toronto (52-18) on Sunday, the Rockets now effectively have a four-game advantage (counting tiebreakers) on both teams in the race for home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs with only 12 games left to play. Harden, long considered the league's MVP frontrunner, also led the way in scoring (32/11/8) in New Orleans. Clint Capela (13/11, 3 blocks) posted another double-double on the interior against Anthony Davis, while Paul (21/8/5) and Trevor Ariza (17 points, 4-of-6 on 3 by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

39 min listen

Late heroics from Green, Harden keep winning streak alive: Despite a combined 2-of-15 start, starting guards James Harden (28/10/8) and Gerald Green (15 points) each had dagger three-pointers in the final 20 seconds on Friday night, rallying the Rockets to a 104-103 home win over the Phoenix Suns. With the win, the Rockets (62-14) extended their current winning streak to 11 games. They've won 28 of their past 29 and 32 of their past 34, and their "magic number" to clinch home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs over Toronto is down to only one. P.J. Tucker (6-of-9 FG) had 18 points on a career-high five made three-pointers, while Joe Johnson (5-of-10 FG) had 16 points in just 21 minutes — including 14 in a critical stretch in the final four minutes of the third quarter, when Houston cut the lead from 18 to 11. Our postgame recap explores how persistence paid off for Green, Harden, and other Rockets, who kept shooting and playing hard despite a very sluggish start in the first h by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

32 min listen

On subpar shooting in Milwaukee and Nurkic ripple effects: MVP candidates James Harden (23/10/7) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (19/14) battled to a draw, but Milwaukee (56-19) had a deeper supporting cast as Houston's Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker combined for 3 points on 1/16 shooting in Tuesday's loss. Despite the defeat, Chris Paul (19/9), Clint Capela (17/11), and Danuel House (5 three-pointers) each showed flashes. Houston (47-28) now falls a game back of Portland in the loss column in the race for the West's No. 3 seed. The show also explores postseason ripple effects from the season-ending injury by Portland's Jusuf Nurkic. #Rockets #NBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

35 min listen

Harden's brilliance can't offset depth woes, Durant in Game 1 loss: James Harden was spectacular with 41 points (14-of-24 FG) and 7 assists, but the Rockets' supporting cast didn't give him nearly enough help in a home Game 1 loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals is Wednesday night at Toyota Center. Chris Paul (23/11, 8-of-17 FG) and Clint Capela (12/6, 6-of-7 FG) each had moments, but ultimately Houston just didn't have enough firepower to deal with a combined 83 points on better than 50% shooting from Kevin Durant (37), Klay Thompson (28), and Steph Curry (18). Our recap explores those storylines and more, including whether Mike D'Antoni should occasionally send a second defender to Durant; how depth has suddenly become a major issue for the Rockets, with Luc Mbah a Moute, P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza, and others all having subpar games; and why psychology could be a tougher battle than Xs and Os heading into a must-win Game 2. #Ro by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

32 min listen

Rockets lose second straight with ugly second half in Detroit: The Rockets (27-11) lost their second consecutive game and seventh of nine overall with a 108-101 defeat on Saturday night against the Pistons (21-17) in Detroit. After scoring 37 points in the first quarter, Houston seemed to run out of steam in the second half with just 43 points in both quarters combined — and 17 of those 43 came in the final four minutes, when the game had already effectively been decided and Detroit eased its defensive intensity. Chris Paul led the way for Houston with 16 points (5-of-10 FG), 13 assists, and 7 rebounds, but four of his 10 attempts came in the aforementioned closing stretch. Sunday's postgame Locked on Rockets recap explores all the key storylines, including the need for Paul to be a more assertive scorer in the absence of James Harden, continued inconsistencies across the board on defense, and a another nightmarish showing from Ryan Anderson, Trevor Ariza, and P.J. Tucker from behind t by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

28 min listen

Capela, Gordon lead division-clinching rally vs. Clippers: The Rockets (54-14) clinched the 2017-18 Southwest Division title Thursday night with a 101-96 come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, led by a big night from Clint Capela (19 points, 12 rebounds, career-high 6 blocks) on the interior against DeAndre Jordan. It's just the sixth division title in franchise history for Houston, which previously won its division in 1977, 1986, 1993, 1994, and 2015. The Rockets were down 12 midway through the third quarter, but finished the game on a 47-30 run over the final 19 minutes to take control. With the win, Houston remains two games up on the Golden State Warriors (52-16) and also holds the tiebreaker in the race for the West's No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Eric Gordon (23 points, 7-of-9 on 3s) was on fire from behind the arc, while MVP frontrunner James Harden led the Rockets in scoring with 24 points and delivered a dagger stepback jumper ov by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

34 min listen

Six-pack: Streak continues in Toronto with defense, Harden's MVP heroics: Six in a row! Houston (39-25) became the West’s No. 3 after a statement win Tuesday at Toronto (46-19). Our recap breaks it down, led by James Harden’s MVP heroics (19 points in 4th); defensive improvements; hot bench shooting from Austin Rivers and Gerald Green (31 points, 10/16 FG); and physicality by Clint Capela (15 rebounds) against the imposing front line of the Raptors. #Rockets #NBA #Raptors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

32 min listen

Sweet Sixteen: CP3 shoots Houston to NBA's longest streak: Chris Paul led the way with 25 points (5-of-6 on three-pointers) as the Rockets (50-13) won their 16th consecutive game with an impressive 122-112 road victory at Oklahoma City (37-29). Houston is now tied with Boston for the NBA's longest winning streak this season and remains ahead of the Warriors (49-14) in the race for the West's No. 1 seed. James Harden was somewhat efficient with 23 points (8-of-13 FG) and 11 assists (but 10 turnovers), while Clint Capela and Nene combined for 18 points and 8 rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting vs. Steven Adams on the interior. Our postgame show examines all the key storylines from Tuesday night, including how the Rockets made an important statement in knocking off the star-studded Thunder (led by Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony) and avenged a Christmas loss in the same building when Paul didn't play. The final segment of the show examines the intense battle for home-court ad by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

30 min listen

Game 3 preview, and primary takeaways through two games: With Houston up 2-0 in its first-round series and heading to Minnesota for Saturday’s Game 3, Karthik Prasad (@stanfordkp) joined us Friday to break down the first two games of the series and the predictive value of the results moving forward. Topics explored on the show include:Adjustments made by the Wolves to slow James Harden (44 points on 15-of-26 FG in Game 1, followed by 12 points on 2-of-18 FG in Game 2), and how Houston countersThe excitement of winning a game with Chris Paul and defense, as opposed to HardenThe importance of the “turbo-nuclear button” shown by the Rockets in their 52-20 run in the middle of Game 2The defensive improvement shown by Clint Capela in limiting the production of Karl-Anthony Towns (6.5 points per game on 27.8% FG)Surprisingly stout performances from Nene off the Houston bench, and the implications for Houston’s bench when Ryan Anderson (ankle) returnsConcern level over a sluggish postseason s by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

35 min listen

Harden shows MVP mettle as Rockets survive Game 1: It wasn't aesthetically pleasing, but James Harden and Clint Capela had just enough to to lead the top-seeded Rockets to a victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series with No. 8 Minnesota in the first round of the NBA's postseason. Sunday's postgame recap explores all the key storylines, led by dominance from Capela (24/12, 3 blocks, 34 minutes) vs. Karl-Anthony Towns, continued MVP excellence from Harden (44 points, 15-of-26 FG, 8 assists), and the need for better performances from Chris Paul and Houston's supporting cast of shooters (3-of-25 from deep, excluding Harden) in the days and weeks ahead. Tune in: #Rockets #NBA #Wolves #NBAPlayoffs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

28 min listen

Paul, Harden's Rockets show championship heart in Game 4 rally: Led by 57 points from Chris Paul and James Harden (combined 46% FG), the Rockets overcame a double-digit deficit entering the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena to defeat the defending champion Warriors in Game 4, 95-92, tying the Western Conference Finals at two games each. P.J. Tucker (16 rebounds) and Trevor Ariza sparked a spectacular defensive effort down the stretch, as Houston limited Golden State to just 12 points in the final quarter. The pivotal Game 5 is Thursday night at Toyota Center in downtown Houston. Tuesday's postgame show examines those storylines and more, including the incredible heart shown by Houston in overcome multiple double-digit deficits against arguably the most talented team in NBA history and at one of the most difficult opposing arenas to play in. #Rockets #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #WCF #Warriors Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

33 min listen

USC Triple-Double Podcast: Assistant Courtney Jaco joins the show after Women of Troy knock off No. 2 UCLA: Shotgun Spratling and Connor Morrissette break down USC women's basketball's rivalry win over UCLA in top 10 battle with assistant coach Courtney Jaco joining the show to discuss the win, atmosphere and the team's outlook going forward while the men have hit the skids with three straight losses by Peristyle Podcast - USC Trojan Football Discussion

96 min listen

Streak ends: Harden's heroics can't rescue Rockets from early hole: In a possible NBA Finals preview, the Rockets' valiant comeback effort fell just short Friday night in a 108-105 loss in Toronto. MVP frontrunner James Harden scored 40 points on a ridiculous 15-of-22 shooting, but Kyle Lowry nearly matched him with 30 points on 10-of-14 FG and 7-of-9 from behind the arc. The loss snapped Houston's NBA-best winning streak at 17 games, as the Rockets fell to 51-14 on the season. Our postgame show breaks down the Harden-Lowry battle and all of the other the key storylines, including strength by Clint Capela (13/13) against Jonas Valanciunas, an underwhelming night from Chris Paul (13 points, 5-of-13 FG), and the sluggish early defense that allowed Toronto to race out to a 19-point lead. The third and final segment of the show explores the convergent paths of Houston and Toronto, including why many of the reasons the 2017-18 Rockets deserve the benefit of the doubt for prior playoff short by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

38 min listen

USC Triple-Double: Lindsay Gottlieb talks Women of Troy keeping foot on pedal + USC men get rivalry win: Shotgun Spratling and Connor Morrissette break down the latest Crosstown Showdown victory for USC men after Women of Troy head coach Lindsay Gottlieb joins the show to discuss the Trojans keeping their foot on the pedal after having seven-game win streak snapped by Peristyle Podcast - USC Trojan Football Discussion

78 min listen

5 of 7: Led by Flyin' Ryan, veteran forwards bounce back in Phoenix: The Rockets (30-11) won 112-95 in Phoenix on Friday night, extending their current run to three consecutive victories and five in their last seven games — including the last six without James Harden. Our Locked on Rockets recap explores all the contributing factors to the blowout win — headlined by a bounce-back shooting night from forwards Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson. Each posted matching 18-point stat lines on 6-of-12 FG, including four made three-pointers for both players. Other highlights include P.J. Tucker's team-best +22 in the plus/minus; a monster night for Clint Capela (17 points, 16 rebounds) on the interior vs. Tyson Chandler; continued brilliance from Chris Paul (25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists on 50% FG), and how the return to form of the forwards offset a regression from Eric Gordon and Gerald Green (combined 8-of-33 from the field). #Rockets #NBA #Suns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

33 min listen

Game 4 recap: Paul, Capela lift tougher Rockets to brink of West Finals: James Harden (8-of-22, 8 TOs) had an off night, but Chris Paul (27/12/6) and Clint Capela (12/15, 6 blocks) picked up the slack as the Rockets grinded out a 100-87 win in Game 4 at Salt Lake City. The victory gives Houston a 3-1 lead in the Round 2 series and puts them within one game of reaching the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2015. Our postgame win explores all the key storylines, including brilliance from Paul and Capela; how the Rockets showed an ability to withstand an off night from their MVP that wasn't there a year ago; and how gritty veterans like P.J. Tucker, Trevor Ariza, and Luc Mbah a Moute were instrumental in allowing Mike D'Antoni to rely on his defense —rather than offense — for the two tough wins in Sale Lake City. Tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

32 min listen

Warriors Still Control Their Destiny! Moses Moody's Impactful Performance, Wild 4-Guard Small-Ball Lineup, Forceful Come Back Against Thunder | 42-38 | Oakland Warriors Podcast (Ep. 362): Patrick breaks down the Golden State Warriors' 136-125 come-from-behind win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center. by Oakland Warriors: A Golden State Warriors Podcast

17 min listen

Paul bounces back, Green blasts off as Rockets defend home court: The Rockets overcame an early 9-point deficit with an incredible 52-20 run spanning just 16 game minutes in Wednesday's Game 2 at Toyota Center, leading to a 102-82 victory and a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven playoff series between Houston and Minnesota. Game 3 is Saturday night in Minneapolis. Chris Paul bounced back from a poor showing in Game 1 with a team-high 27 points (10-of-18 FG) and 8 assists, while Gerald Green brought infectious energy off Houston's bench with 21 points and 12 rebounds — finishing with a team-best plus/minus of +27 in his 27 minutes. That included 12 points on four made three-pointers in the second quarter, when the Rockets turned a 7-point deficit into a 15-point halftime lead. Clint Capela (8 points, 16 rebounds) again led a tremendous defensive effort by the Rockets, particularly on the interior against Karl-Anthony Towns (5 points, 2-of-9 shooting). James Harden (12 points, 7 assists by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

28 min listen

Adam Clanton on Game 4's historic context, Harden's legacy, and predictions: With the West Finals tied at two games apiece, is Houston now the series favorite with two of the final three games at home? Rockets radio network host Adam Clanton joins us to discuss that and much more, including the historic nature of the come-from-behind win over the defending champion Warriors in Tuesday’s Game 4. Other interview topics include the likely raucous environment at Toyota Center for Thursday’s pivotal Game 5; the career evolution of James Harden, who scored a game-high 30 points in the Game 4 win; Mike D’Antoni’s latest seven-man rotation; and predictions for the remainder of the series. Tune in! #Rockets #Warriors #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #WCF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

35 min listen

Game 75: Tetreault Keeps it Rolling in Series Clincher by Nats Chat

41 min listen

Harden's 32 not enough as another poor start dooms Rockets in Game 2: James Harden had a game-high 32 points and 11 assists, but a 19-point deficit in the first half of Wednesday's Game 2 proved difficult to overcome as the Rockets fell to Utah, 116-108. Houston shot just 10-of-37 (27%) from behind the arc, while the Jazz were 15-of-32 (47%) — led by a career-high 27 points from Joe Ingles (7-of-9 on three-point attempts). The best-of-seven Round 2 series is now tied, 1-1, with the all-important Game 3 on Friday night in Salt Lake City. Our postgame show breaks down all the relevant storylines, led by yet another inexplicably lethargic start to a postseason game by Mike D'Antoni's Rockets. Other topics include adjustments made by Utah coach Quin Snyder; the importance of Game 3, particularly in the context of Golden State leading its series, 2-0; how the early deficit may have compromised Houston's shooting late by requiring them to expend so much energy in the middle portions of the g by Locked On Rockets - Daily Podcast On The Houston Rockets

30 min listen

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Balanced effort closes out Minnesota as Capela leads way

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