Paul hikes workout regimen
With the Rockets hoping to have guard Chris Paul ready to play Thursday in Phoenix, Paul ramped up his workouts Sunday and is scheduled for intense sessions again Tuesday and Wednesday.
Paul has been out since the Oct. 17 season opener because of a bruised left knee suffered Oct. 11 in Memphis.
After a light day Monday with the Rockets off following the back-toback, Paul is expected to go through a more intense workout Tuesday and the Rockets’ practice Wednesday.
The Rockets will not decide when he will play until Thursday, when they can measure how he responds to the practice sessions and the flight to Phoenix.
“We don’t want to push it,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “If not Thursday, then we’ll see about Saturday (in Memphis). He worked out hard (Sunday.) We’ll see how he feels Tuesday and Wednesday. That (having Paul play Thursday) is what we’re shooting for.”
Fast starts result in winning surge
Though the Rockets have cited many factors in their winning streak, the first place to look they said could be the first quarters.
The top-scoring team in the NBA in the opening quarter, the Rockets have started much more quickly in the past six games than early in the season, taking their past two wins without trailing at any point in the game.
“We’ve been getting off to really good starts lately,” guard James Harden said. “The first few games, we got off to slow starts. We’re preaching, we have to get off to better starts and not try to fight our way back in the game. We need to take control of the game early. We’ve been doing that as of late.”
The Rockets have been first in offensive rating in the first quarter this season and fourth in net rating. In the six-game winning streak, they have had the top net rating in the opening quarter, outscoring opponents by 36.3 points per 100 possessions.
The Rockets have scored at least 60 points in the first half of every game in the winning streak, after reaching 60 in the first half just twice in the first eight games. Since the start of last season, the Rockets are 42-5 when scoring at least 60 first-half points, 8-0 this season.
“It shows the character of our team to get out to good starts and control the game early on,” guard Eric Gordon said. “That’s what we’ve been doing. That’s why we’re winning.”