Raptors at Rockets Gamethread

This is getting ridiculous.

The Toronto Raptors rested, with no known medical issue, their putative superstar Kawhi Leonard for three games before tonight’s contest with the Rockets in Houston. Perhaps he’s just that fragile (insert some sort of comment about Kawhi Leonard’s hands here - ED). Perhaps they’ve been saving him for the Rockets. Perhaps it was all about Kawhi closing on his new $13 million dollar mansion in LA. (I would say that is a bad sign for him remaining in Toronto.) Perhaps this is what Kawhi’s mysterious condition requires. For a guy as quiet as he seems to be, he’s pretty high maintenance.

James Harden is not coming off three games’ worth of rest. He’s hardly getting any rest at all, when it comes to carrying the Rockets. The Rockets are now down only two of their top four players. Chris Paul will not return tonight. Clint Capela will not return until after the all star break.

The Rockets will also be down Danuel House, who seemed to fit his role on the team well. The Rockets haven’t looked as good without him. Also missing: anyone taller than 6’8”. Being perverse and asking James Harden to pick up any and all slack seem...unwise.

If this one gets out of hand, I hope it’s early, and Mike D’Antoni doesn’t insist on burning Harden to the waterline chasing a loss.

It is an early posting for the game thread.

Let’s get this party/funeral/chore/exhilaration started!