Houston Rockets: Eric Gordon out again tonight vs. Warriors

The Houston Rockets will be without the former Sixth Man of the Year tonight as they go against the best in the league.

Despite injuries, the Houston Rockets have been on a roll to end December, finishing the month 11-4 along the way. The MVP-level of play (and then some) from James Harden was a huge reason for that, but the success from some of the role players also helped keep the team afloat, and then some.

One of the guys that has come on strong recently is Eric Gordon. In the absence of Chris Paul, he knows he has to step up and he’s done just that. After a rough start to the season, like most of the team, Gordon is starting to get his stats back to an acceptable level (at least up to 30% from the low 20s).

Unfortunately, he has the injury bug as well. He hurt his knee the other night in a game against the Pelicans after a strong game. He missed the last game against the Grizzlies but was supposed to be day-to-day after that.

He will still be out tonight, though, as the Rockets face the Golden State Warriors. The team will be down two great players in Paul and Gordon against the defending champs. That’s an even tougher task for James Harden as he tries to continue carrying this team into a higher seeding.

To be more specific, Eric Gordon will be listed as out, Ennis as questionable. https://t.co/BMXtsbv9c6

— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 2, 2019

James Harden MVP game?

James Harden will certainly have the opportunity to make a statement in the Most Valuable Player conversation tonight. While he certainly won’t be expected to beat the Warriors by most, another strong showing could do wonders for his case on national television.

The way he’s been playing recently, you never know. The Rockets could show the world that they are back to the level they were at last season and pull out a surprise victory.

Harden certainly thinks he will win the MVP award. When asked about it yesterday, he had this to say:

I asked James Harden if he is consciously hungry for winning another MVP, he said “I need it. I need it for sure. And I’m going to get it”. #Rockets

— Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (@ROSGO21) January 2, 2019

The Beard is coming for that MVP for the second year in a row. If he can continue to carry the Rockets and bring them to a top-2 seed in the West, he should definitely be the front runner. The confidence is nice to see from your best player who is leading your team. Some may see it as selfish, but to succeed, you need to be that confident. He’s been quoted plenty of times about wanting to bring a championship to Houston, so talk your talk, Harden.

Be sure to tune in tonight on TNT as the Rockets face the Warriors at 9:30 CT.