Houston Rockets Daily Rocket Science: Playoff-bound

Against all the odds that shouldn’t have existed, the Rockets are headed to the playoffs.

It’s hard to explain the sensation of annoyed relief that Houston Rockets fans feel right now. Similar to when your favorite team barely scrapes out a win against a much lesser opponent, the Rockets barely eeked  out a playoff appearance after a season that was supposed to be one of 60+ wins. But nevertheless, they’re scheduled to tip off against the Golden State Warriors at 2:30PM CT on Saturday, April 16th. It may be the last postseason that features James Harden and Dwight Howard on the same roster, so as a D12 fan, I’ll try to enjoy the moment as long as it lasts.

Today’s Daily Rocket Science will not discuss much about the playoffs, but don’t worry; you’ll get plenty of playoffs coverage from all of us here at Space City Scoop in the next few days.

Houston Rockets news and notes from around the web

After the season ends (hopefully later rather than sooner), the Rockets’ next big project is to decide on who will be coaching the team next season, and Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report is keeping us updated on who the Rockets want on the bench for the future. Current interim coach JB Bickerstaff will still have time to prove his worth to the organization over the next few games, and has certainly helped his case by getting the team to the playoffs.

As I mentioned before, the Harden/Howard era may be coming to a close, depending on how Dwight handles his contract and/or contract negotiations. Through the years, Howard has been the scapegoat for many troubled teams. However, this year, it’s his bearded counterpart who’s taken on the larger part of the blame for the Rockets’ troubles. James Harden has gone from 6th man to franchise centerpiece, and is one of the most controversial superstars in the game today. Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit expanded on why that is the case, and whether or not he deserves to be so critically acclaimed and disdained.

"James Harden is not overrated, but he   misunderstood. His flaws are so much more visible to the naked eye that his strongest attributes may as well be buried in that scraggly beard of his. People can watch one missed defensive assignment, one turnover or one flop on a drive through the lane, say “There’s James Harden for you” with a sigh, and change the channel. is"

More from Space City Scoop

• Rockets: Time to return the slander towards Rachel Nichols
• What the Rockets must do with the second overall pick
• Houston Rockets: The case for, and against, trading Christian Wood
• NBA Rumors: Why the Houston Rockets shouldn’t trade up to no. 1 in NBA Draft
• 3 players that would be a perfect fit for the Houston Rockets at 23 or 24

This last article for today changes gears a little bit. Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN wrote an intriguing piece that follows the life and schedule of the Rockets on a road trip, as they stayed in a hotel in Portland for a couple of night. It provides insight to what life as an NBA player looks like, and features some candid photos of the Rockets in situations where they aren’t usually in the spotlight.

"It’s a business, but one infused with trust. Trust that a room service meal won’t upset a player’s stomach before tonight’s game, trust that a front-office clerk won’t dish if she overhears an argument or if someone comes in a little tipsy, and trust that if any unforeseen needs surface, the hotel can respond without a hitch. Trust that even if a coach needs an emergency dress shirt in 15 minutes, someone on the hotel staff will literally give an NBA team the shirts off their backs."

It feels quite strange to me to be writing on any subject that isn’t Kobe Bryant, but his 60-point explosion isn’t the only thing noteworthy that happened last night. The Warriors broke the record for the most wins in a season and more importantly as I’ve mentioned, the Houston Rockets clinched their spot in the big dance at just about the last possible moment. Stay tuned to Space City Scoop as we prepare for the postseason to begin. It’ll be an uphill battle to begin with, competing against the best team in NBA history, but things could be worse (sorry, Utah).

Send our Editor any Rockets-related article/video/tweet/gram/vine that we may have missed via Twitter direct message to @TTOTambz.

Next: Houston Rockets Conclude Regular Season

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