I'm probably supposed to be watching for Harden or the Blazers continued progress but I feel like Christian Wood is about to get a lot of FGA's up.

....and we're off.

Harden and Wood in P&R here and you can see what the roll threat does to defenses. Nurkic is dropped but rotates to recover to Wood instead of contested at the rim. Easy layup for Harden.

Spacing is something the Blazers will have to navigate this season. Notice it's DJJ and Covington spaced on the weakside. Tucker sells out off Covington to play Nurkic on the roll. Gets a strip, Blazers still score but those guys have to be threats. Defenses still playing in.

Harden/Wood in P&R here again and his threat rolling can open some things up. Different after a year of small ball. Blazers switch this screen but Covington never gets under. Wood slips to his roll and finishes.

Blazers have to find a way to get their tempo back up in the half court. Run their movement here but the pace of the cuts just is not there. Rockets able to defend and now the Blazers are up against the clock without putting pressure on the defense.

Sterling Brown is playing like he transferred colleges.

Each year Harden gets more and more comfortable driving with that right hand. Feel like it goes under the radar. Blazers shading him right, goes with a hesitation + go with the right hand to draw the foul.

Just feels like too many empty possessions for Portland offensively early in the year. Elbow action but there just is no pop behind it. No flare for CJ, Covington tries to DHO with Dame who gets denied. Ends in a turnover and two for Houston.

Just not much you can do when James is hitting this. Still a cheat code.

It's a tough recipe for Portland right now. Half court execution isn't all the way there yet, transition defense is struggling. It just has felt like they are giving up a lot more easy baskets than they are getting so far this season.

This is more like it for Portland. Looks like it's setting up for a Dame/Covington P&R, Dame attacks before the screen is set. Rockets defense has to react and help, kick, swing, open 3 for CJ. Get the tempo up, put more pressure on the defense and play out of it.

Damian Lillard keeps adding to his drives each season. One thing I've seen a lot tonight is rejecting P&R to not even give defenses a chance to get to their coverage. Double drag is set up and as House tries to get over, Dame rejects and finishes.

This is interesting from James Harden. Adds to his game every year and it looks like he's added a way to draw fouls while driving *right*. This is sure to not infuriate anyone I'm sure. Just add it to the notebook.

Christian Wood just adds a different element to Houston as far as skill set from a big. Blazers switch the P&R, Nurkic kicks DJJ out to guard Wood. He pops to the 3pt line, faces up Nurkic and drives and finishes. A little Rebel on Rebel crime at the end there.

Dame going with the reject in P&R is a thing. It's going to put some pressure on his defenders. Way for him to get a drive without facing a trap or big at the level.

The potential playmaking from Wood opens things up for Houston. Blazers do a good job defending the P&R here, Nurkic is at the level and stays with Harden. Wood pops to the 3PT line, shot fake, drive and kick to Tucker for 3.

Blazers had way better tempo in the second half. Quicker decisions, more decisive. Dame comes off P&R sees the defense helping kick to CJ for 3. CJ comes off a downscreen, forces Wood to help, hits Nurkic on the roll.

...it also didn't hurt that CJ McCollum was also doing *this* I mean sheesh.

Rockets bring Harden off a handoff here so trying to get some more off-ball movement. The key here again is the evolution of Harden. The right hand keeps getting stronger. He's doing the same dribble moves 1v1 but now he's *attacking* right.

The tempo and purpose was there for Portland in the second half. Forcing Houston to react defensively instead of anticipate. Covington slips the screen with CJ and attacks on the catch. Player development point for House, you can't leave Dame to overplay the corner pass to DJJ.

You can see the right hand from Harden here again. DJJ cuts him off, goes behind his back to his right and keeps driving. It looks different. Kanter has to KYP here, can't reach on Harden's drive at the nail.

The irony of this whole Rockets situation is I think Wood is a *great* partner with Harden. Also he can do this coast to coast.

These sequences are why you go get Robert Covington. Great nail help, forces a turnover, finishes on the other end.

Can't emphasize it enough, Harden attacking right on purpose is going to be really tough to guard. Beats Hood going right, defense has to help. Extra pass to Brown who finishes the play.

Harden sets up to come off P&R here with his left, crosses over to his right to reject the screen. CJ sniffs it out on the weakside but good finish from Harden.

The more the Blazers can get Dame/CJ involved together, the tougher it is on defenses. Rockets switch the screening actions but it's the end. CJ comes off Nurkic in P&R with Dame on the weakside. Now you have to hold on Nurkic rolling or get to Dame open for 3.

CJ hits Nurkic here and goes to screen for Dame, the key is the slip. Harden trying to get in Dame's body, Brown is anticipating taking Dame coming off but no screen. No size on weakside, easy two for CJ. Switches are there but it's tough when you put those two together in action

You see what Nurkic brings to the table for the Blazers in P&R. Dame comes off, defense has to be up. Gets right into the pocket to get the pass. Defense has to help on his roll. Covington with a great read to cut as soon as his man leaves for the easy two.

Blazers got some good action out of hitting Nurkic and screening out of it. DJJ backscreens for Dame. Rockets switch but notice DJJ slips out to keep Tucker on the top side. Looks like Harden assumed it would be a layup (keep playing), left CJ wide open for 3.

Same action for Portland, this time Covington is screening. Tate doesn't switch on Dame and stays with his. Leaves Dame wide open for a layup. Reading the defense, making them pay, getting different options out of the same set is key.

Christian Wood does a really good job in P&R with Harden of slipping out to hurt teams trying to switch. Portland switches this P&R but Wood makes sure he stays under DJJ to get to this roll. Blazers help on the roll but a tough finish.

Look man I don't know what you do if James Harden is *setting up* the right hand drive now. Attacks left here, DJJ cuts him off. Goes *right* into a crossover to his right and finishes. That's tough.

I like Portland going to the action that had been hurting the Rockets down the stretch but using it as misdirection. "just kidding here's the DHO with Dame"

This is the impact of those right hand drives from James Harden. 1v1 against Covington, he fakes left and drives right. What does RoCo do? You guessed it, cuts him off which sends him...back to his left. Defense has to help, open 3.

Hell of a touch pass from Christian Wood here.

These slips makes the Harden/Wood P&R tough to deal with. Covington rotates as Wood rolls but now Houston has an advantage. Pass out and swing leads to an open 3.

CJ McCollum went straight to his closet and grabbed the luggage last night.

An overplay from House here to end the game. Dame is coming off, Wood is there. House has to stay with CJ here. Harden has Wood's help at the dunker. That has to be a tough two. If you're going to help you can't lose sight of yours especially with how CJ was going.

Last play of the game, I think the thought from Harden was to hold the defense and hit Tucker. Guessing he wanted Tucker to just snake or flash closer to the basket. Nurk has to step up, Harden is staring Wood down but Covington played it and got the steal.

I don't think Covington got enough credit. He sold out on the pass even with Harden staring down Wood.

This is again just a guess but from this angle it looks like he's trying to go for a dumpoff between Nurk and Covington but...Tucker is deep in the dunker.