HOUSTON — One thing that stood out about the game-winning basket produced by Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul on Thursday against the Portland Trail Blazers was the fact that DJ Moore Panthers Jersey , a week earlier, the Rockets received a buzzer-beating jumper from another member of its backcourt.
When Paul converted a driving floater with eight-tenths of a second left, he not only secured a 96-94 victory that extended the Rockets’ homecourt winning streak to 20 games, he followed a similar bit of heroics delivered by Gerald Green on March 30 against the Phoenix Suns.
While Paul saved the Rockets the indignity of playing an extra period after once holding a 24-point lead, Green capped a comeback from a 21-point deficit with his game-winning, corner 3-pointer.
The Rockets (64-15) received a similar shot from guard Eric Gordon on Oct. 25, with Gordon nailing a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 105-104 road victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. When it comes to needing a bit of late-game heroics, Houston has ample options at its disposal.
If needed, the Rockets hope to use one of their options to close out another game Saturday night when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“We’ve got a lot of closers,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Eric has made a big shot, Gerald has made a big shot Rashaan Evans Titans Jersey , Chris does, James (Harden) does. We’ve got a lot of them.”
Harden, an MVP frontrunner, is absent from the Rockets’ list of buzzer-beating contributors. He has, of course, produced his share of clutch shots and appreciates the additional support.
“It helps a lot,” Harden said. “These last few years especially I’ve learned that, obviously, you can’t do it by yourself. You need guys to step up and make big shots and make big plays. We have enough guys here on any given night that can change a playoff series. That’s what you need. That’s what can push you over the top.”
The Thunder (45-34) are aware of the challenge that comes with defending the Rockets’ multitude of shooters. Atop any scouting report on Houston is that particular directive.
“Biggest thing is, eliminate as many 3s as possible and having a focus on more than just James and Chris, having a focus on everybody Quenton Nelson Jersey Elite ,” Thunder forward Paul George said. “They’ve got guys that can shoot the ball.”
Oklahoma City will be seeking a season series victory at Toyota Center, having split the previous two meetings with the Rockets at Chesapeake Energy Arena. A win by itself is of greater significance for the Thunder, losers of four of its last five games during this stretch run.
The Thunder remain squarely in the playoff picture, but the tenuous standings at the bottom of the West make for perilous footing for several teams, but they are not worried.
“We’re not in the situation to press,” George said. “We’ve just got to handle what our job is. We’re not on the bubble trying to play and fight our way in. We’re in right now; we’ve got to sustain that. It’s not a scenario where we’re in the situation to be pressing. We’ve just got to handle our job and close this year out on a high note.”
The Philadelphia 76ers will go for a franchise-record 15th straight win Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.
The 76ers (50-30) matched a team-best streak by beating the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Their 50th victory of the season clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Atlanta (24-57) defeated Boston on Sunday, but it remains in last place in the East. The Hawks, beset by injuries in a rebuilding season, have the third-worst record in the NBA.
Philadelphia is one of the NBA’s surprise teams. The 76ers were expected to compete for a playoff spot, but they are in position to finish as high as third in the East.
Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said, “We are growing a culture. We’ve won 50 games and we have home-court advantage and we’ve tied a record. That’s true. But that is never really what’s most on my mind.”
And the 76ers have been without Joel Embiid Calvin Ridley Color Rush Jersey , who averages a team-leading 22.9 points and 11 rebounds but has missed the last six games.
Brown said Embiid, out with a fractured orbital bone after a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz, might resume conditioning and shooting as soon as Monday. That could mean a return for the playoffs.
The 76ers are a deep scoring team, with seven players averaging double figures. J.J. Redick (17 points), Ben Simmons (16 points, 8.1 rebounds) and Robert Covington (12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds) have stepped up to pick up the slack since Embiid’s injury.
The addition of veterans Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova, both dumped by the Hawks in midseason, has solidified the rotation.
“This shows how far we’ve come this season,” Simmons said. “Everyone was putting us lower than expected. I think we pushed through the times. We had a tough start with the teams we’ve played. I think we got better over time.”
Atlanta, despite being without injured starters Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder Authentic Jonathan Allen Jersey , has continued to play hard for coach Mike Budenholzer. The Hawks have won two straight for only the second time this season and three of their last five.
“(The Boston win) is especially gratifying, knowing you have a couple impact players out and still be able to do what we do,” forward Taurean Prince said. “It’s good to see what we’re able to do, even without a full team.”
Prince has been a bright spot in a long season. He has given Atlanta a legitimate 3-point shooting threat. He made 7 of 8 3-pointers on Sunday and scored 33 points.
The second-year player has improved his numbers from his rookie year in almost every category. His scoring average has gone from 5.7 to 14 and his 3-point percentage from 32.4 to 38.7 percent. He has scored 30 points in five games.
The 76ers have won two previous meetings with the Hawks, both by 10 points. Philadelphia prevailed in its first visit to Atlanta on Nov. 1, then won March 30 in Philadelphia.
This will be the season finale for Atlanta. Philadelphia plays its last game on Wednesday at home against Milwaukee, which could be the 76ers’ first-round playoff opponent.
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