Player grades from the Rockets’ scrimmage against Toronto Raptors

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Danuel House Jr. #4 of the Houston Rockets (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

The Houston Rockets Bench

A +. Danuel House was one of the best players on the floor on Friday, and his play led many to question why he wasn’t starting. House finished with 18 points, which was second-best in the game, behind only James Harden. In addition, House went 7-of-11 from the field (63.6 percent), while shooting 3-of-6 from long-range (50 percent). House also added six rebounds and two steals while playing a game-high 30 minutes.. Small Forward. Houston Rockets. DANUEL HOUSE

Although Ben McLemore finished the season within the top 23 in 3-pointers made during the regular season, he couldn’t find his shot against the Raptors. McLemore went 1-for-7 from deep, which was good for 14.3 percent. This was a bit of a surprise, as McLemore made 39.5 percent of his treys during the season, which was second-best on the team, and he finished behind just James Harden in threes made in 2019-20. McLemore added three fouls and had a turnover, which certainly wasn’t his best. One would have to assume that Sunday’s scrimmage against the Memphis Grizzlies (his former team) will yield much better results.. Guard. Houston Rockets. BEN MCLEMORE. D

Forward. Houston Rockets. JEFF GREEN. D. Jeff Green had a performance to forget, as the Rockets were 20 points worse with him on the floor, which was second to only Eric Gordon for the worst on the team. Green went 1-for-4 from the field and missed both of his 3-pointers, finishing with just two points, while adding two fouls and two turnovers. On the positive side, Green had five rebounds and two assists.

Guard. Houston Rockets. CHRIS CLEMONS. C -. Although Rockets rookie guard Chris Clemons was seldomly used during the regular season, he received an uptick in playing time on Friday due to Austin Rivers being inactive and away from the team. Despite making 35.3 percent of his triples throughout the season, Clemons struggled to find his shot against the Raptors. The Campbell product went 0-for-6 from the floor, and 0-for-5 from long-range. What saved Clemons’ grade is the all-around game he churned out, as he had three steals, two assists, and two rebounds.

The Rockets’ stars were stellar, as Russell Westbrook and James Harden made the most of the minutes they received. The Rockets’ small-ball system also contested for rebounds, as the rebounding margin was just 43-38, in favor of Toronto.

The Rockets had more turnovers than the Raptors and fewer assists, which isn’t exactly a winning formula. But in spite of that, the Rockets held the lead before Harden was pulled, which is an encouraging sign.

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The Rockets’ next scrimmage will take place on Sunday, July 26th, against the Memphis Grizzlies, who went 32-33 during the regular season and currently hold the final spot in the Western Conference playoff race. The Rockets faced off against the Grizzlies three times during the regular season and went 2-1.

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