An intriguing game is scheduled for tonight, featuring your Houston Rockets and the NBA's finest rising star: Kevin Durant. The Oklahoman looks into Durant's growth as a player, as well as his contributions on the court.

More after the jump.

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Jerome Solomon has a column posted on the Chronicle's website, accusing Ariza of seeming "out of place" as a leader.

OK, maybe not the face-making, but Adelman wanted some attitude.

Ariza kind of brought it, but kind of didn't. He is just not that guy. Never will be.

Ariza just doesn't have the assassin's mentality that makes stars super. Prior to this season, he had never taken 21 shots in a game as he did Wednesday, and it seemed he didn't want to take some of those.

Kobe Bryant was the only other player on the court firing up shots at that rate. Bryant got off 30 attempts and scored a game-high 41 points. Unlike Ariza, Bryant is quite comfortable firing away.

If Ariza had more Aaron Brooks or Kyle Lowry in him, he might be a perennial All-Star. But he is what he is, and that's OK.

The Rockets knew what they were getting when they signed him with their mid-level exception.

There's good analysis, there's bad analysis, and then there's no analysis. And I'm having a tough time deciding if this is just bad analysis or a failure to even deal with what's happening on the court.

Look, it's fine to discuss "mentality" when we talk about players. Basketball, unlike baseball, allows players to take over the game, and so a player's thought process, emotions, etc. really do matter. But at the same time, we (as fans and as writers) need to be able to distinguish between "stuff happening in a player's head" and "stuff happening in reality."

Ariza's problem is not that he lacks some mystical "killer instinct," nor is it that he doesn't have "ice water in his veins" or whatever other cliche you want to use. Ariza's problem is that he can't create off the dribble. His ballhandling isn't pretty, and the result is turnovers and forced shots. A "mentality" is not what makes a star a star: it's pure ability, and Ariza isn't there yet.

Did his emotional desire to play well against his old team lead him to take bad shots? Maybe, but that has nothing to do with an "assassin's mentality" (whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean). Indeed, it seems to contradict that: he wanted to take those shots, and so he took them and failed. The point, however, is that the difference between the Kobe/Lebron/Wade wings of the world and the Arizas of the world is one of skill, not mentality.

The lesson to take from this game is not that Ariza has to "step up and be a leader." That's ridiculous. He, like everyone else, needs to play to his strengths and the system. And if the coaches, front office, and Ariza want him to become something more, then he needs to work on that in practice and in games against the Kings/Thunder/Nets of the league, not against the reigning champions.

As for being a "leader," I think it became fairly clear around March of 2008 who the Rockets' on-court leader is, and it isn't Brooks, Ariza, Yao, or McGrady. He's the guy running the defense and being the real "floor general." But I wouldn't want Battier to try to "take over" the game with his "assassin's mentality," either.

With that particular pile of crap dissected, let's get to some news:

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Sorry about the lack of links yesterday. I'm sure all of you were staring blankly at your computer screens, confused and scared at the absence of what has become the most important part of your daily routine. And for that, I apologize. Let's take a look at all the crazy shit happening around the league.

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More photos » by Bob Levey - AP

Did anyone else notice that Dorsey and T-Mac were wearing the same outfit on the bench? Awkward...

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There's really only one team in pro sports that I hate more than the Jazz: the POS Tennessee Titans (and the fact that they're 1-6 to start the season dulls that resentment somewhat). The Jazz are the Dracula to the Rockets' Van Helsing; the Moriarty to our Holmes; the Borg to our Federation. They're pure evil, and it's really that simple. But let's ignore all that for a minute and get to some news.

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The biggest news, of course, is that the Rockets' home opener is tonight. Our conquering heroes (well, they conquered Oracle Arena, anyways) return to the Toyota Center for the first time since May. I envy all of you who will be there.

On that note: obviously the Rockets didn't play last night, so there's very little in the way of real Rockets news. However, the NBA rolls on.

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  This is something that the guys over at The Crawfish Boxes do every morning, and it always struck me as a good way to fake writing anything of content generate discussion. So without further ado, here's some Rockets links.

-- The Rockets have made Chuck Hayes and Shane Battier co-captains, which is apparently news to both of them.

"Every now and then, if the team has to lodge a complaint, the captain has to do it," Battier said. "So if guys are complaining about something, they'd make me go talk to the coach or Daryl (Morey, the general manager) about it. Every now and then, a team meeting. But if I wasn't quote-unquote team captain, I'd speak up."

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Now, when he speaks up, he can do it from the front of the room. He and Battier can ask how they became so honored, though Battier has a theory.

"I think everyone assumed," he said. "The referees just came and said ‘Shane, the meeting.' So I said, ‘Oh, all right. I'm a captain.'"

-- Aaron Brooks' option for next season will be picked up by the Rockets. That's not really surprising. Despite the opinions of more "traditional" analysts, as well as a lot of people in the stats community, Morey is in love with Brooks' game, and at $2 million he's a bargain.

-- Bethlehem Shoals (of Free Darko fame) over at TSN gives us all a reason to appreciate the Warriors.

I know many of us wanted the Rockets to be some sort of Daryl Morey Gone Wild phantasmagoria, coached by that master of intricate ball movement Rick Adelman. It was supposed to be the Dorkiest Show on Earth. Yet games like this, however distorted, do get at what's truly solid on the Rockets, what they can look to going ahead no matter what the fancy calculations and coaching smarts conjure up. 

There are talents here, the kind that any NBA team would be glad to have as their nucleus. That it took a trip to the haunted house of Oracle to reveal that is in line with all great Western myths—we return to ordinary life more enlightened when, faced with the extraordinary, we realize that the good and true is all we have to fall back on.

-- This one's a little older, but I think it's still relevant: Kevin Pelton at Basketball Prospectus gives his reactions to the game against Portland. 

-- Lastly, courtesy of the fine people over at Clutch Fans, here's Budinger's impressive dunk against the Blazers:

Denver Nuggets  - Denver Stiffs | The Nugg Doctor

Minnesota Timberwolves - Canis Hoopus | Empty the Bench | TWolvesBlog

Oklahoma City Thunder - Blue Blitz | Daily Thunder

Portland Trail Blazers - Blazersedge | A Stern Warning | The Rip City Project | Blaze of Love | BustaBucket | Trail Post

Utah Jazz - SLC Dunk | True Blue Jazz

Bonus Links: See full schedule here | Also see SBNation preview storystream

More photos » by Ronald Martinez - Getty Images

6 months ago: HOUSTON - APRIL 24: Forward Luis Scola #4 of the Houston Rockets reacts during play against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 24, 2009 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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As promised, here's your first ticket deal of the year directly from the Rockets. 

This one is for opening night against the Trail Blazers:

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Come out and support your Houston Rockets for opening night Saturday, October 31st as they take on Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and the Portland Trailblazers.  We still have great seats left for this first round playoff rematch!


Use the link below for the Fan Appreciation discount flyer:

http://www.nba.com/media/rockets/Sales_Donovan103109.pdf


Tickets starting out @ $20!  But seats are limited!

Anyone who purchases a group of 25 or more will receive 2 complimentary tickets to a non-premium Houston Rockets home game!

Do not miss out!  Use the promotion code on the flyer or Call John Donovan @ 713-758-7453 to reserve your tickets today!

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GO ROCKETS!

Opening Day just a little more than 2 weeks away!