HOUSTON vs NEW ORLEANS
When: 2/9/2021 7:30 PM
Where: New Orleans

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NEW ORLEANS , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as 5.5 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 222.5.

The Pelicans are 2-1 in division play. New Orleans ranks third in the league with 11.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Steven Adams averaging 4.4 offensive boards.

The Rockets are 4-3 against the rest of their division. Houston has a 3-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The teams meet for the second time this season. The Rockets won 126-112 in the last matchup on Jan. 30. Christian Wood led Houston with 27 points, and Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 26 points.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Brandon Ingram is shooting 46.9% and averaging 23.9 points. Williamson is averaging 24.9 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 61.6% over the last 10 games for New Orleans.

DeMarcus Cousins ranks second on the Rockets with 7.4 rebounds and averages 8.9 points. Jae’Sean Tate is averaging 5.3 rebounds and 9 points per game over the last 10 games for Houston.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Pelicans: 5-5, averaging 116.1 points, 44.6 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.6 points on 46.5% shooting.

Rockets: 7-3, averaging 111.1 points, 45.9 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.2 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.4 points on 43.0% shooting.

INJURIES:

Pelicans: Josh Hart: day to day (back spasms).

Rockets: Dante Exum: out (calf), Christian Wood: out (ankle).

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into a matchup against Houston as winners of three straight games.

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HOUSTON vs CHARLOTTE
When: 2/8/2021 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: CHARLOTTE , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the Houston listed as 3 point favorites versus the Charlotte, while the game’s total is sitting at 223.5.

Charlotte coach James Borrego seemed sincerely surprised upon learning on Sunday that the Hornets improved to 9-0 this season when entering the fourth quarter with the lead following their 22-point victory over the Washington Wizards at the Spectrum Center.

But upon further reflection, the statistical note made sense to Borrego.

The Hornets’ 119-97 win over Washington featured a praise-worthy effort from Terry Rozier, who assumed additional play-making duties with Devonte Graham (groin) sidelined and seven players grabbing at least five rebounds. It also featured another strong showing from guard LaMelo Ball, who burnished his Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The Hornets, who will host the Houston Rockets on Monday in the second game of a back-to-back, have made strides despite being one of the younger teams in the league. Their rapid development sheds some light on their ability to perform when the stakes are highest.

“When it’s close, when we’re tight in the fourth quarter, we’re coming out on the right side of this thing,” Borrego said. “For whatever reason, we execute in the fourth. It’s tight, we get good shots, we execute defensively. We’ve been one of the better closing teams in this league and that’s not easy to do.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it: that’s a heck of a job by a young team for us to be able to close out these games in the fourth quarter.”

Charlotte, 3-3 in the second half of back-to-back games including 3-0 at home, won its last matchup with the Rockets to snap a seven-game losing skid in the series. Still, the Hornets have dropped 16 of the last 18 meetings against Houston, and while the Rockets will be without their leading scorer and rebounder in Christian Wood (ankle), the challenge for Charlotte remains stiff.

But the Hornets have repeatedly shown an ability to recover from setbacks. Their dismantling of Washington was just the latest example of a team seemingly on the rise.

“Last game, we played a very good Utah team,” Borrego said. “Our second half that game was a good second half and we built on that. We found some rhythm and there were some positives that came out of that second half. I wanted to carry that momentum over into this game. I’ve seen growth even though we didn’t win those last two games.”

Wood (22 points, 10.2 rebounds) suffered a right ankle sprain last Thursday against Memphis and will be sidelined for an undetermined number of games. Houston went 3-0 without Wood when he sustained an ankle sprain in late January but needed 52 bench points to stay within striking distance in a 111-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

The Rockets know what needs to be done without Wood. Executing that plan is the difficult part.

“Without Christian in the starting lineup, we’re going to have to figure out ways to score,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “We’re missing basically 20 points out of our lineup. For those guys to step up off our bench was huge but moving forward we really are going to have to concentrate on figuring out ways (to score).

“Christian kind of makes it look easy out there the way he scores with no play calls: rolls to the rim, dunks, 3s, a little bit of everything. We have to figure that out.”

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SAN ANTONIO vs HOUSTON
When: 2/6/2021 8:05 PM
Where:

TV: 8:05 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , SAN ANTONIO

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the SAN ANTONIO, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.5.

San Antonio Spurs (12-10, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (11-10, 10th in the Western Conference)

Houston; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Houston hosts San Antonio in a matchup of Southwest Division squads.

The Rockets are 4-2 against Southwest Division teams. Houston is seventh in the Western Conference in rebounding averaging 44.3 rebounds. Christian Wood leads the Rockets with 10.2 boards.

The Spurs are 9-10 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference with 45.2 rebounds per game led by Keldon Johnson averaging 7.3.

The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Spurs defeated the Rockets 103-91 in their last meeting on Jan. 16. DeMar DeRozan led San Antonio with 24 points, and Wood paced Houston scoring 24 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Wood is scoring 22 points per game and averaging 10.2 rebounds for the Rockets. DeMarcus Cousins is averaging 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists over the last 10 games for Houston.

DeRozan leads the Spurs averaging 20.1 points and is adding 5.0 rebounds. Dejounte Murray is averaging 5.1 assists and 13.3 points over the last 10 games for San Antonio.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 7-3, averaging 113.4 points, 44.9 rebounds, 23.8 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.8 points on 43.2% shooting.

Spurs: 6-4, averaging 111.9 points, 45.4 rebounds, 24.9 assists, seven steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points on 47.5% shooting.

INJURIES: Rockets: Dante Exum: out (calf), Victor Oladipo: out (rest), David Nwaba: out (ankle).

Spurs: Rudy Gay: day to day (hip), LaMarcus Aldridge: out (hip).

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HOUSTON vs MEMPHIS
When: 2/4/2021 9:05 PM
Where:

TV: 9:05 PM
LINE: -1
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the MEMPHIS listed as -1 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.5.

The Houston Rockets had won six consecutive games entering Wednesday, but there was something about the construction of their schedule that offered reason to concern.

The Rockets were set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in consecutive road games, the second contest coming Wednesday ahead of a Thursday home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Houston opened the series in Oklahoma City with a 136-106 win Monday but fell to the Thunder 104-87 Wednesday following a ragged start in which the Rockets looked lethargic and disinterested.

Houston didn’t surrender everything gained with its winning streak. Still, after playing so well on both ends of the court in erasing what had been an uneven start to this season, the Rockets showed little of the verve that helped them climb from near the bottom of the West standings.

The Rockets return home to oppose the Grizzlies seeking not only a return to their winning ways but an effort reflecting their recent improved mentality. Memphis also will look to rebound after its seven-game winning streak ended Tuesday.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas said, “Instead of being like, ‘We’re good, we’re good,’ no, it’s not, ‘We’re good,’ we’ve got to be good. We’ve got to come with the correct approach.”

Houston was without guard John Wall in the second game against the Thunder and will be without guard Victor Oladipo against the Grizzlies, with both avoiding back-to-back games as part of injury-recovery programs. The absence of Wall had little to do with the Rockets’ performance against the Thunder. Instead, it was a lack of early thrust that proved debilitating.

The youthful Grizzlies will certainly provide a test for Houston, one that will require a commitment to solid two-way play from the opening tip. The Rockets are aware of that fact.

“We’ve just got to get going, we have to have a good start,” said Houston guard Eric Gordon, who scored a team-high 22 points in the Wednesday defeat. “We’ve got to knock down shots early, and I think that will get us in an early groove. But it has to be from the start.

“We know Memphis, it’s going to be tough. But we’ve got to go in and fire away early.”

The Grizzlies were rolling before Tuesday when they took a 134-116 drubbing at Indiana. The Pacers shot 59.8 percent from the floor while connecting on 16 of 29 from 3-point range. It was the kind of shooting display that’s easy to shrug off as aberrant — Indiana recorded a season-high point total — especially with Memphis playing for the third time in four days.

Dillon Brooks put up a team-high 25 points for the Grizzles against the Pacers, one of six Memphis players to score in double figures.

After the streak-ending defeats, Memphis and Houston each have a shot at a restart.

“I think we’ve been doing a really good job of competing,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “I thought our guys competed. Our guys are positive in the locker room ready to rebound and fill our cups up and get ready for Thursday.”

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HOUSTON vs OKLAHOMA CITY
When: 2/1/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: 4
PREDICTION: OKLAHOMA CITY , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the OKLAHOMA CITY listed as 4 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.

Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas was encouraged by how his team responded after falling behind by double digits in the last two games.

But Silas is hoping for a better start Monday when the Rockets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder for the first of two games there.

“I wish we were starting games better, really,” Silas said. “At least we’re fighting back. That’s one of the things I love about this group — their competitiveness. Hopefully, at some point, we won’t have to get down so much early, but we’re going to fight back.”

Houston has won five in a row to climb back to .500 for the first time since early January.

In Thursday’s 104-101 win over Portland, the Rockets trailed by 20 in the first quarter before erasing that deficit by halftime and pulling off the win.

Saturday night, Houston was down by 11 in the first quarter at New Orleans before using a 48-point second-quarter outburst to take control.

It was the third-most points the Rockets had ever scored in a quarter.

“That’s a testament to our defense,” John Wall said. “We got out, got stops, we’re running in transition, was communicating on both ends of the floor. And that makes our team better. When we’re committed on the defensive end with all five guys, we’re a tough team to compete against because that gets us out in transition, lets us get pace into the game.”

Victor Oladipo, acquired in the mid-January trade of James Harden to Brooklyn, has keyed the Rockets’ recent resurgence.

He’s averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in six games with Houston.

“We have a bunch of guys who love to play basketball and they’re fighters,” forward P.J. Tucker said. “Even the games we get down … you’ve got to expect us to come back because we got a lot of guys with a lot of pride and they’re going to fight every single night and try to win.”

The Thunder are coming off a 147-125 loss to Brooklyn on Friday night, the most points the franchise has allowed in regulation since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.

One encouraging sign to come out of that game for the Thunder was the play of rookie Theo Maledon, who has started the last three games with George Hill out with a sprained right thumb.

Maledon made 8 of 9 shots from the floor against the Nets, hitting all six 3-pointers he attempted to tie an NBA rookie record for most 3-pointers without a miss.

“I think he’s capable of that more often,” Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Works hard. Does the right things. The basketball gods are just rewarding him.”

Maledon is averaging 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists since moving into the starting lineup and has just four turnovers in 85 minutes.

Hill’s absence has allowed Maledon, who has normally served as Gilgeous-Alexander’s backup, to adjust to a new role.

“He’s a point guard,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But that doesn’t mean he can’t play on the court with another one.”

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HOUSTON vs NEW ORLEANS
When: 1/30/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: NEW ORLEANS , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as 1 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 223.

The Houston Rockets look stable after a rocky start to the season.

The New Orleans Pelicans are showing signs of improvement as they host the Rockets on Saturday.

Houston has won four consecutive games, matching the win total it produced over the previous 13 games.

The Rockets lost three of their first four games after they sent star guard James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade on Jan. 13. Then came the winning streak, which includes a 104-101 home victory over Portland on Thursday. Houston overcame an early 20-point deficit to beat the Trail Blazers.

“The guys have grit and they’re determined,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “The adversity part is something that we’ve been talking a lot about. I think earlier in the season adversity would hit and we would succumb to that adversity. But (against the Trail Blazers) we put forth the right energy to overcome it.”

Harden’s trade demand hovered over the Rockets throughout the early part of the season.

“It was kind of hard to play through that and find a chemistry,” Houston guard John Wall said. “And once we made the trade happen and we got the team that we wanted and the guys that wanted to be here and once we all committed to what we wanted to do, we were going to be a good team. Everybody has something to prove.”

Victor Oladipo, one of the key players acquired in the Harden trade, led the Rockets with 25 points against Portland.

The Pelicans lost eight of nine games before registering home victories against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

“We’re trying to get back on track,” said New Orleans guard Lonzo Ball, who has been the subject of trade rumors.

The Pelicans raced to a 29-point lead Friday and held off a furious Bucks comeback to prevail 131-126.

“I think the first 30 minutes of the game showed the possibilities at least of what we can be,” first-year New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Granted, we were making a lot of shots, but for 30 minutes we even guarded pretty well. Then, we didn’t really guard at all in the last 18 minutes. But for 30 minutes, I think it showed the possibilities of what we can be.”

Brandon Ingram scored a team-high 28 points for the Pelicans. Ball added 27, making 7 of 13 3-point attempts, and Eric Bledsoe had 25, going 7-for-14 from 3-point range.

“I have to continue doing what I did tonight,” Ball said.

Zion Williamson scored 21 and had a career-high seven assists, Josh Hart scored 15 and Steven Adams collected 20 rebounds after grabbing 18 against the Wizards.

“It’s big for us to have the ball movement,” Williamson said. “Everybody was touching the ball, everybody’s getting the feel for it. It gives everybody confidence on the offensive end, which translates to the defensive end.”

The Pelicans made 21 of 48 3-point attempts, tying a franchise record for made 3-pointers and attempting a season-high for the second consecutive game.

The Friday game is the middle contest in a five-game homestand for New Orleans and the opener on a four-game road trip for Houston.

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HOUSTON vs CHICAGO
When: 1/18/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as 1.5 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 226.

Newly acquired Victor Oladipo is eager to make his Houston Rockets debut Monday as the team concludes a three-game road trip with a visit to the Chicago Bulls.

Part of a blockbuster trade last week that sent former Rockets star James Harden to Brooklyn and also involved Cleveland and Indiana, Oladipo joined Houston before Saturday’s game at San Antonio but could not be activated in time.

“My first impression has been amazing,” Oladipo said. “Guys have been welcoming. … I’m blessed and fortunate to be here. My goal for this season is to win, and win and win some more. Exhaust my potential here.”

Oladipo, a two-time All-Star guard, averaged 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in nine games for the Pacers this season. He missed more than a year with a right knee injury before returning in January 2020 to help Indiana clinch a playoff berth.

Oladipo already has faced Chicago at the United Center once this season as a member of the Pacers. He scored 22 points in 25 minutes while going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc on Dec. 26.

Because of various injuries and trade processing protocol, the Rockets dressed just eight players in Saturday’s 103-91 loss to the Spurs. Houston coach Stephen Silas said DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Gordon are expected to return to the lineup against the Bulls, but John Wall is out with knee soreness.

As the Rockets establish a new rotation and culture, Oladipo isn’t the only one itching to get going.

“Really, just going through this trade a couple days ago and adding players and continuing to know that, ‘OK, we’re here,'” said rookie Mason Jones, who had 24 points Saturday in his first career start.

“It means a lot and you know, I just to want to continue to really just show and the team really needs to show and just get better every day. Just continue to work hard, continue to come in every day with the right mentality.”

The Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday with a 117-101 road victory against the Dallas Mavericks. While starters Lauri Markkanen (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Zach LaVine (10 points, 10 assists) both registered double-doubles, Chicago benefited from a bevy of bench scoring.

Garrett Temple led the way for the reserves, scoring 17 of his season-best 21 points in the first half. The Bulls got 61 points from their bench and regrouped from Friday’s overtime loss at Oklahoma City in which they squandered a 10-point lead with 1:47 to play.

“This is a group that’s really working to get better as a team,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I really appreciate every day working with them. Obviously, there have been some painful moments this year. But it speaks to their character that coming out of that (Friday) game, they didn’t hang their head.”

Monday marks Chicago’s first home game since a 118-108 win against Dallas on Jan. 3. The Bulls are set to play six of their next eight at United Center.

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SACRAMENTO vs HOUSTON
When: 1/2/2021 5:05 PM
Where:

TV: 5:05 PM
LINE: -4.5
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , SACRAMENTO

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -4.5 point favorites versus the SACRAMENTO, while the game’s total is sitting at 235.

Rockets first-year coach Stephen Silas earned his first career victory on Thursday, a result that warranted analysis of how Houston is jelling and what steps remain for the Rockets to improve.

Silas acknowledged that the Rockets are a “work in progress” on defense. The pairing of All-Star guards James Harden and John Wall, on display for the first time after COVID-19 protocols sidelined Wall for the first two games, showed potential but requires additional tweaks.

But one aspect of the Rockets’ 122-119 home win over the Sacramento Kings, whom the Rockets will host again on Saturday, needed only the most basic assessment. With the Rockets trailing inside the final five minutes, Harden took control and had a hand in the final 18 points for Houston while posting 33 points and eight assists and steering the way to triumph.

“It felt a lot better being on his side than the other side for years, that’s for sure,” Silas said. “He’s an amazing talent. He can make other players better with his smarts and knowing the angles and get to the free-throw line. I thought there were some opportunities that he had that he didn’t get the call, but he stayed aggressive and shot 11 free throws, and then the 3s.

“He’s the best in the world at those step-back 3s. He’s one of the best players in the world — period. To see it up close and personal and have him do it on the team that I’m coaching is amazing.”

Harden and Wall combined for 55 points and 17 assists with 11 turnovers. The Rockets are actively working to make the partnership work in terms of keeping Harden aggressive when Wall has the ball. There is no questioning their effectiveness offensively when Harden has it.

What the Kings have established at this early stage of the season is an egalitarian approach offensively. Sacramento entered the back-to-back against the Rockets with six players averaging double figures in scoring, and on Thursday produced three 20-point scorers while Buddy Hield added 19 points plus a team-leading five 3-pointers.

That unselfish play has made the Kings a difficult team to defend, for at any crucial point of a game more than one option is capable of providing a key basket. The starting backcourt of De’Aaron Fox (22 points, six assists) and Hield shared the scoring load in the first quarter with support from center Richaun Holmes (22 points and 13 rebounds).

When the Rockets pushed to a game-high 10-point lead in the third quarter, Fox and Harrison Barnes (24 points, eight rebounds) led the surge back into contention and were instrumental in helping the Kings establish a seven-point lead midway through the final period.

Houston, armed with the best player on the floor in Harden, found a way down the stretch. But the Kings have showcased a willingness to share the responsibility and developed a blueprint that just might make them a viable threat for a postseason berth in the Western Conference.

“For us, for who we are as a team, this is how we have to play to give ourselves a chance to win,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “So I was very happy to see that.”

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SACRAMENTO vs HOUSTON
When: 12/31/2020 7:05 PM
Where:

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: -4
PREDICTION: HOUSTON , SACRAMENTO

Oddsmakers currently have the HOUSTON listed as -4 point favorites versus the SACRAMENTO, while the game’s total is sitting at 228.5.

Houston guard John Wall was champing at the bit last week, eagerly anticipating his first regular season game in two years before COVID-19 protocols put his Rockets debut on pause.

Now that his quarantine is complete, Wall can resume the track he was on before contact tracing forced him to observe the Rockets’ first two games, both losses. Wall will be available when Houston hosts the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

“We had a couple of practices before with the whole team but it was good,” Wall said of returning to practice. “We all know the plays and stuff like that, we just wanted to get acclimated to each other after they had two games on the road that we had to miss because of quarantine.

“(Practice) was good, and now we’re ready to play tomorrow.”

The Rockets traveled with just nine players for road games at Portland and Denver and will welcome back three of the six players who were in quarantine: DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and Wall.

There is concern over just how game-ready those veterans will be in what amounts to their season openers. The short-handed Rockets logged heavy minutes and played with verve in an overtime loss to the Trail Blazers, but there is some uncertainty ahead against the Kings.

“It is a process that’s going to continue for a while,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “You would hope that it would be similar (to the Portland game) but as far as the protocols that they’ve been going through up until this point and they haven’t really been working out and been with the team, it’s really hard to say what we’ll see tomorrow with those guys.”

The Kings have enjoyed a surprising 3-1 start to the season, including their 125-115 win over Denver on Tuesday.

Balanced scoring has contributed to that success, with six Kings scoring in double figures paced by guard De’Aaron Fox (20.3 points per game). An unexpected addition to that list: reserve rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 assists in 27.0 minutes off the bench.

Taken 12th overall out of Iowa State, Haliburton arrived with a reputation for maturity. In these early stages of his career, he has showcased an ability to deliver in every facet required.

“He’s got a lot to learn still but there’s something about him when you’re coaching him you feel confident when he’s on the floor that something good is going to happen on both ends of the court,” Kings coach Luke Walton said.

After pairing 12 points with four assists in his debut against the Nuggets on Dec. 23, Halliburton helped the Kings rebound from a loss against the Suns by posting 13 points, six assists and three steals as Sacramento notched a second victory over the Nuggets in seven days. The plan was for Halliburton to contribute as a rookie. Thus far, he has exceeded those expectations.

“He doesn’t get rattled,” Fox said. “He makes big shots — we know he can shoot the ball. We all have the utmost confidence in him to make big plays whether it’s with the ball or off the ball, catch-and-shoot and things like that. We tell him to be aggressive.”

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HOUSTON vs DENVER
When: 12/28/2020 9:00 PM
Where:

TV: 9:00 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: DENVER , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the DENVER listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 225.

The Houston Rockets are battling a coronavirus crisis, while the Denver Nuggets are battling a crisis of confidence.

Neither team is at its best early in the season, but something will give when they meet Monday night.

The Rockets visit Denver with four players in quarantine after a tumultuous opening week. Trade rumors surrounding star James Harden — one including the Nuggets that was quickly quashed — and his violation of league COVID-19 rules and regulations have made it a tough start for new coach Stephen Silas.

Houston had its opener postponed before nearly beating the Portland Trail Blazers on the road in their first game Saturday night. Harden scored 44 points in the overtime loss and wasn’t surprised at his performance even with the off-the-court issues.

“I didn’t surprise myself at all,” Harden said after the game. “I know what I’m capable of.”

The Rockets will need more of that from Harden without key rotation players. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and Mason Jones are being quarantined until Wednesday because the four were considered close contacts under the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols.

Houston got a big lift Saturday from Christian Wood, who finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds in 44 minutes, and rookie Jae’Sean Tate, who scored 13 points off the bench.

“He made me look good tonight,” Harden said of Wood.

The Nuggets haven’t looked good in their two home losses to open the season. On Wednesday they rallied against Sacramento but mistakes in the final seconds of overtime cost them the game. A slow first half against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday ended in another loss.

Denver is fighting expectations after its run to the Western Conference finals to finish off the 2019-20 season, despite having significant roster turnover. One of the biggest additions, JaMychal Green, has yet to play because of a left calf strain.

“This is a new season, a new team and new challenges. The bottom line is, I guess my job as a coach is to find a group that is going to compete and give ourselves a chance,” coach Michael Malone said. “We are 0-2, so hopefully we will find a way against Houston to come out from the get-go and sustain it. That was my big message to our group. You can’t win in this league playing three quarters.”

The Nuggets have received two strong outings from Nikola Jokic. He had a triple-double in the loss to the Kings and was a rebound shy of another on Christmas night.

Another ray of hope is Jamal Murray found his stroke in the second half against the Clippers. He fouled out after scoring just nine points Wednesday but had 19 of his 23 points in the second half, with 13 coming in the fourth quarter, when Denver trimmed a 24-point deficit to 11 on Friday.

Despite the 0-2 start the Nuggets aren’t panicking.

“It’s very early, man,” Monte Morris said. “Short training camp. I’m not trying to make excuses or nothing. We’re still trying to figure it out. … It’s not panic mode.”

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