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Houston Rockets Beat Massively Shorthanded Suns – Player Grades

By Andre Cantalogo

Feb 19, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets center Josh Smith (5) shoots against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets center Josh Smith (5) shoots against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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In desperate need of a win to get back on track for a playoff seed, the Houston Rockets went to Arizona to face off versus one of the worst teams in the west: the Phoenix Suns. After a 2nd quarter scare the Rockets easily dispatched of the Suns.

66. . 116. 169. 110

After the Rockets disappointing trade deadline, the fans were at least expecting their team to enter court with a new attitude and alternative rotations.

Many expected young guns K.J. McDaniels and Montrezl Harrell would be rewarded with some time off the bench after the Rockets gave up two important assets (Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton) to the Detroit Pistons.

Instead J.B. Bickerstaff once more presented the same sloppy, lazy, effortless, static basketball, featuring the same old mediocre plays largely dependent of their starters. Makes me wonder based on what Bickerstaff felt that a positive run is coming? Seems delusional.

Don’t let the scores fool you. The Rockets committed 20 (!!) turnovers, missed more than 15 free-throws and knocked down less than 30% of their three-point shots.

It just so happened they were playing the depleted Phoenix Suns: no Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, Alex Len and also lost Tyson Chandler early in the game.

Rockets Player Grades

A+. Houston Rockets best player of the game, <a href=. SF. Houston Rockets. TREVOR ARIZA

Houston Rockets. JOSH SMITH. D. Overall not a good game for <a href=. C

Houston Rockets. DWIGHT HOWARD. B+. There’s always a weird sentiment now when I watch <a href=. C

Houston Rockets. JAMES HARDEN. A. It was such an easy game that James Harden bad shooting night went almost unnoticed. Despite his issues from the three-point line, Harden managed to fill up his stat sheet with steals, assists, rebounds and even a block as well, therefore, in general a good game. 27 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. And that without too much effort.. SG

A. <a href=. PG. Houston Rockets. PATRICK BEVERLEY

Best Reserve

B-. Once again, Houston’s bench was largely disappointing. That was until <a href=. SF. Houston Rockets. KJ MCDANIELS

Best Opponent:

B-. Even though Mirza Teletovic scored 25 points and got 8 rebounds (and my sincere compliments to him for this amazing and highly unlikely feat) I’ll go with Devin Booker as I do believe if Teletovic had been guarded even hald as much as Booker was by Ariza, then he most likely would’ve ended up with 2 to 3 points.<p>As of now if you are one to cheer for the under favored, then <a href=. SG. Phoenix Suns. DEVIN BOOKER

Next: Houston Rockets Look Toward the Future

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