Player grades from the Rockets’ stumble against the Portland Trail Blazers

C +. James Harden finished the game with a mere 23 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the floor in only 33 minutes of action. Harden got a taste of how his opposing defenders feel when they’re whistled for a foul call on him, as he was in foul trouble for most of the night getting two early fouls in the first quarter and committing his fifth foul during the third quarter. As a result, his individual offensive and defensive play styles were heavily limited. Instead of blasting off, Harden was grounded and virtually invisible for the final stretch of the quarter which gave the Blazers all the momentum to close the game.. Guard. Houston Rockets. JAMES HARDEN

C +. Russell Westbrook left his heart out on the court as he does every single time he graces the hardwood, but his contributions left us hoping this version of Westbrook won’t be making an appearance in the Orlando bubble. Westbrook was limited to 15 points in 35 minutes of action, snapping his 36-game streak of scoring at least 20 points. Westbrook is at his best when he can get to the basket and force defenders to make him miss at the rim, but against Portland, he couldn’t buy a field goal inside or outside the paint and was forced to result back to taking tough and low-percentage jumpers early in the shot clock, which worked in the Trail Blazers’ favor.. Guard. Houston Rockets. RUSSELL WESTBROOK

Forward. Houston Rockets. ROBERT COVINGTON. D. Robert Covington played 36 minutes in the Rockets’ loss against the Blazers but only managed to net six points on 2-of-11 from the field, with all 11 attempts coming from beyond the arc. Covington managed to rip down eight rebounds, but his shooting was virtually the only thing he did during the game and he came well short of his expectations, the team’s expectations, and the coaching staff’s expectations.

P.J. Tucker is known for being an elite defender, mental leader and enforcer. However, his offensive struggles were what stood out the most over everything else. Tucker scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc. The Rockets aren’t worried about Tucker the defensive player, but his offensive game has to be more consistent on nights such as last night when both Harden and Westbrook struggled from the court.. Forward. Houston Rockets. P.J. TUCKER. C

DANUEL HOUSE. B +. Danuel House was one of the two players on the Houston Rockets who stepped up and delivered a spark, giving Houston every opportunity to win this game. House played 35 minutes against Portland and scored 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc. House also grabbed four boards and recorded three assists while playing tough defense. House can be a huge lift within this Rockets lineup if he continues to play like he did last night with more consistency.. Small Forward. Houston Rockets