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We've said it a few times this year: the Rockets should be considered a contender for the NBA championship.
Not the favorite mind you: the Golden State Warriors are the best team in the NBA by every measure, including win-loss record, and they have a 4-0 record against Houston. But if you look at the pool of teams below the Warriors, which includes the Cavaliers, Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, Clippers, Blazers, Bulls and, yes, the Rockets, do you see a team Houston absolutely can't beat in a seven-game series?
Neither can Daryl Morey. To the links!
Daryl Morey confident Rockets can win NBA title this season | ESPN
He likes his roster. If Dwight Howard, Jones and D-Mo are all near 100 percent during the playoffs, and Jason Terry can play acceptably, I like it too.
Is Patrick Beverley Injury Actually a Blessing in Disguise for Houston Rockets? | Bleacher Report
This is a position I don't endorse, but I'm starting to believe that it's not far off. The Rockets play better with Jason Terry on the floor, and they have all season. Beverley might be an individually better player, but Terry seems to fit better with the team.
Morey: Terrence Jones "A Couple Days Away From Playing" | CBS Houston
T-Jones should be back this week. When the Rockets aren't on back-to-backs, the starting frontcourt will be in effect. Finally.
An Identity In Flux: James Harden And The Collective Consciousness | The Sports Fan Journal
The season that Houston Rockets star James Harden is flummoxing Philip Barnett in trying to assess who he really is (besides being damn good at basketball.)
Rockets visit Arlington and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier | KHOU
As a team-bonding activity, the Rockets laid a wreath on the Unknown Soldier. Every guy in the Rockets locker room is talking more and more about chemistry and shared sacrifice. Howard told Sam Amick last week he was willing to make "the ultimate sacrifice." Seems like the country's largest military cemetery is a good place to be reminded of what that means.
Inside Jeremy Lin's life after Linsanity and the New York Knicks | ESPN the Magazine
Pablo Torre with a beautifully reported and written profile of Jeremy Lin. You can't deny that he remains one of the most fascinating human beings in the NBA.