James Harden made two huge shots in the fourth quarter to carry Houston to a huge win.
The disappointing Houston Rockets didn't need their game against the San Antonio Spurs to be pretty. On Christmas Day, all the Rockets needed was some late James Harden magic and a win.
The Rockets got both of those things in their 88-84 win against San Antonio on Friday. Harden, shooting just 5-of-16 before these shots, nailed back-to-back triples, the second one being a nearly impossible step-back look over Tim Duncan. He finished with 20 points, 18 of them in the second half.
The win was indeed ugly. While the defenses were great, both offenses also had noticeable moments when they just weren't as sharp as they usually are. Although San Antonio's free-form passing might have bothered by Houston's aggressiveness, it was also a bit slow and a little more off-target than usual. The Spurs started hacking Clint Capela and Dwight Howard down the stretch of the fourth quarter, mucking up the game even more than it needed to be. Even when Houston missed some free throws, the Spurs couldn't take advantage on the other end.
The first quarter belonged to the Rockets while the Spurs dominated the second one. In San Antonio fashion, it felt like the Spurs' 43-38 lead might blossom into something bigger than that, but Houston's defense was thoroughly impressive throughout the game, frustrating San Antonio's free-flowing ball movement just enough throughout the game.
The Rockets bounced back ahead in the third quarter and opened up a 10-point fourth-quarter lead, but the Spurs, like death, taxes, zombies and Tim Duncan, never truly go away. With a couple more made looks in the fourth quarter -- and there were some makeable shots -- we could be telling a different story. As it is, though, Houston just picked up a signature win on their home court.
The Rockets are trying harder on national television
Houston has improved under J.B. Bickerstaff, but the fault for the Rockets' dismal start didn't fall squarely on former head coach Kevin McHale's shoulders. In many instances, Houston simply wasn't playing hard, slacking in transition or sagging off their man for no real reason.
Games like this one show what Houston can do when they do try. Maybe the threat of getting embarrassed on national television on Christmas Day brought the best out of them. Maybe the younger, more relatable Bickerstaff really is getting through to them in ways McHale couldn't. It's weird that effort could be a serious problem for a professional NBA team, but Houston's defense on Friday much more resembled last year's No. 6-ranked unit than this season's No. 21-ranked one.
Kawhi Leonard is a punisher
We've been waiting for the moment when Kawhi Leonard's shooting percentages finally drop off, but maybe that moment won't come. Taking more shots than he ever has in his career, Leonard is seriously an MVP candidate. His offense is one thing: 21 points, 51 percent shooting, 47 percent shooting behind the arc, nearly three assists. But watching him run around the court with his huger-than-life mitts grabbing virtually any ball in his vicinity is what truly makes you realize his dual impact on a nightly basis. As Zito Madu wrote:
Leonard's genius is that he ruins everything that's cool. He even has a comically-evil nickname already: The Claw. The green aliens from the original Toy Story movie feared The Claw, which they viewed as an omnipresent deity. Sure, it was just the grabber in those toy machines that always seems to cheat you out of a stuffed animal, but it freaked them out. That's Leonard's nickname. He shares it with a device that was feared by cute, docile creatures who just wanted to enjoy life.
Jason Terry's unsung contributions
Despite turning 38 a few months ago, Terry was lights out for Houston in the fourth quarter. The Rockets who finished No. 2 in the Western Conference last year were weird, in part because of their knack for finding seemingly washed-up veterans and getting them to produce. JET was at the front of that, starting at point guard for times, and his still-keen shooting and aggressive ball hawking showed up in full display during the final 12 minutes on Friday for Houston. He finished the game making both of his fourth-quarter shots and several free throws, and he also picked up three steals on defense.
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