Paul tests knee in workout
Guard Chris Paul looked significantly closer to a return after joining the Rockets for Friday’s light practice.
The practice was not much of a test of his readiness to return from a bruised knee. He’s still not projected until next week. Friday’s practice between games and before a back-to-back was more of a walk-through than a full practice.
“He got on the court a little bit,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Things are progressing.”
Though the Rockets have not put a timetable on Paul’s return, D’Antoni estimate late last month that Paul would be out another two weeks would put him playing either next Thursday in Phoenix or next Saturday in Memphis. If he is cleared earlier than that two-week guesstimate, the Rockets play the Toronto Raptors at home on Tuesday.
“He has a couple more games left before he returns,” guard James Harden said. “Just to see him on the court preparing is a good feeling.”
To get rebound or deny break?
The Rockets beat Cleveland 117-113 on Thursday by crashing the offensive boards, but that might not be as much of a weapon Saturday against Memphis.
Even though the Grizzlies are not a strong defensive rebounding team, ranking 25th in the league, they are third in the NBA in fast-break points and scored 18 on the break against the Rockets in Memphis on Oct. 28.
Many of those points came off the Rockets’ 19 turnovers. But against a team that runs as efficiently as the Grizzlies, the Rockets know if they go to the offensive boards, they better get the rebound.
“It’s something you have to worry about and
think about, when you get back and when you don’t,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Our kind of rule is if you think you have a legitimate shot of getting it, you’ve got to make a decision. Either I’m getting the ball or I’m getting back.
“Don’t just wander around and hope. If you’re playing basketball and you think you have a legitimate shot, go for it. If you screw up, OK, at least you’re thinking. If you’re
not, you better haul back and run and set it up.”
The Rockets have allowed 10.4 fast-break points per game, ranking 17th in the NBA. In their four-game winning streak, they have improved a bit, ranking ninth. Much of that comes off turnovers. The Rockets are 24th in points allowed off turnovers, giving up 19.5 per game. The Grizzlies are first, allowing a league-low 10.9 per game.
'Boots to Suits' helps veterans
The Houston Rockets Women’s Association held a “Boots to Suits” drive to benefit Career Gear Houston, a nonprofit organization that provides business training, networking skills, résumé building and professional clothing and tailoring to veterans.
Suits and other clothing items that had been collected during the week were distributed to service members and veterans on Friday at Toyota Center.
“Our staff has been donating a lot of clothes to the Harvey victims,” Laurel D’Antoni, the wife of Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, said. “We asked our staff, in honor of our vets, to dig deep into their closets and bring some clothing to help bring our vets back to the workforce. We think Houstonians will be generous and look them up on the internet. It’s careergear.org. It’s a wonderful thing for us to do for these people who serve our country.
“I went to school on an Army base. I can’t tell you how much they appreciate knowing we care about them. This is something we all need to do. Every little bit helps. A little bit from me and a little bit from you is a lot.”
Stephen Freeman ,a Navy veteran who works as a teacher with Career Gear, said the suits do help the veterans he teaches transition into the civilian workforce.
“You interview better I think when you have a fresh suit on,” Freeman said. “It’s just amazing to see their faces.
“When I think of a veteran, I think of less than two percent of our population who wrote a blank check to our country worth up to their life. If they can do that, I can share the skills that I have to try to help veterans get a job, to move into a career.”