2018-19 Houston Rockets (first 25 games):

Record: 11-14 (22nd)
Offensive RTG: 111.0 (8th)
Defensive RTG: 112.2 (25th)
Net RTG: -1.2 (21st)

2019-20 Houston Rockets (first 25 games):

Record: 17-8 (T-6th)
Offensive RTG: 114.7 (2nd)
Defensive RTG: 109.2 (15th)
Net RTG: +5.5 (7th)

Fournier on James Harden: “I feel like we lost against just him tonight. He’s the MVP for a reason. We talked about (in) pregame that you have to contest shots & just live with the result. He did not miss tonight, period. He’s incredible. Give him credit.” theathletic.com/1459730/2019/1…

ICYMI, a good time to offer Thursday's story with Mike D'Antoni explaining some of the commentary that still seems to surround Harden. "Different is polarizing." houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets…

ICYMI, Harden does it again as Rockets blast Magic in fourth quarter. "He's just been amazing." houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets…

3-pointers: Takeaways from Rockets' win over Magic, including the latest 50 for 13, McLemore leading the league and room to grow. houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-s…

New #Rockets at #TXSN - 3-pointers: Takeaways from Rockets' win over Magic ift.tt/2RQo5fm

James Harden and Houston Rockets blast Orlando Magic ift.tt/2PlaI54

5A Div I @uiltexas semifinal:
@SCSharkFootball 45
Wagner 21 Final
The Sharks (15-0) will play for the state title next Friday night at AT&T Stadium at 7pm vs winner of Denton Ryan / Lone Star #txhsfb @KPRC2

How much of a find has Ben McLemore been for the Rockets? Among players qualified to be among stat leaders, he leads the NBA in offensive rating. There's lots of reasons for that, but yeah, he's been a hugely important rotation piece and has been vital with Green, Gordon out.

With his fifth 50-point game of the season, Harden has as many as the rest of the NBA combined. He has four 50-point games in his past seven.

James Harden drops second straight 50-point game in Rockets' win over Magic ift.tt/35mqFgS

Have not watched the 2nd half yet. Harden did what now?

So prior to the #Rockets win at Cleveland on Wednesday, only 1 time in franchise history had a player made 10 3-pointers in game. James Harden just did it twice in 3 days. He had 54 pts (10-15 on 3's) in Houston's 130-107 win at Orlando tonight.
#IsThatGood

Rockets win 130-107. Your reminder that James Harden, with 54 points, is a scoring machine.

theathletic.com/1455954/2019/1…

James Harden was averaging 14.9 free throw attempts per game, not shooting less than 10 in any game this season before the Rockets protest of his unrecognized basket.

Since then, Harden is averaging 8.6 FTAs per game. Four of those five games he shot single digit attempts.

Calvin Murphy: "I've played basketball since I was 5 years old. I thought I'd seen it all. I played against Wilt, Earl the Pearl, Walt Frazier, Pistol Pete, Oscar Robertson, and uh... When you can impress me after all I've seen, you're doing something. James Harden impresses me."

"bUt hE gOt nO rINgs" pic.twitter.com/ECdTXkRBbN

FINAL: Rockets 130, Magic 107. Harden Greatness Tour continues - 54 pts, 7a, 3 blocks, 10-15 3P, only 6 FTs. Westbrook (23p-7r-6a) attacked beautifully and Ben McLemore hit 6-7 3P off the bench.

Watch your back, Kobe. pic.twitter.com/VB3ub8S3Ou

Rockets 22 3-pointers are the most ever for a Magic opponent.

Harden with a three-point play, takes a foul to take a seat with 54 a game after he had 55. He is 11 of 11 from the line in past two games, 20 of 32 on 3s.

James Harden with another 50+ points, but in all fairness, @Scottie Pippen would've easily dropped 60 by now.

Magic clear the bench so D'Antoni will, too. Hartenstein, Clemons to check in.

Harden with 49 points, 10 made 3s...Crazy

Stop it. Stop it. James Harden is absurd. Absolutely ridiculous. And people slander this dude?

Harden steal. Harden 3. He has 49 with seven assists. Rockets with 20 points in 4:11 since Magic cut the lead to 11. Harden with the assist or bucket on 18 of them.

Back-to-back games for James Harden hitting a franchise record 10 threes.

Rick Barry and James Harden (on Wednesday) are the only players to score 50 with five or fewer free throws. Harden with 43 is 5 of 5 from the line. He could do it in back-to-back games. He has scored 50 in consecutive games four times in his career.

He's just ridiculous.

Magic open the fourth outscoring the Rockets, 9-4, so Harden checking back in a couple minutes early. The 20-point lead reduced to 13.

Rockets best 3-point shooting this season was 49 %. They are shooting 62.1 % on 29 attempts heading into the fourth quarter.

Harden ends the quarter with a blocked shot, rebound and a floater at the buzzer (pending review) from 19 feet. Rockets 96, Magic 78. Harden with 38, Westbrook 21, Tucker 12-10, McLemore 5 of 6 on 3s.

Looked like the Magic came out of the time out in a box-and-one, running a second defender, Birch, at Harden.

Good deal of chuckling after Westbrook missed an oop from Harden and put in the rebound. They have combined for 49 and eight assists. Rockets up 16.

This Harden-Fournier duel is getting pretty good.

James Harden at halftime:

25 points
3 rebounds
2 assists

9-16 from the field
5-7 from 3-PT range
2-2 from the FT line

Russell Westbrook at halftime:

17 points
5 rebounds
3 assists

6-8 from the field
1-2 from 3-PT range
4-4 from the FT line

Magic coach Steve Clifford still using lesson from Mike D’Antoni ift.tt/2t8Xxvl

Scouting report: Rockets vs. Pistons ift.tt/2EhSMlC

Rockets’ Eric Gordon begins running portion of knee rehab ift.tt/2LUkGZb

Harden with a 25-point first half a game after he scored 55. Imagine if the guy could draw fouls.

Imagine watching this and actually believing that James Harden is a product of a coach's system. pic.twitter.com/n8mr2QG960

Rockets 62, Magic 55 at half. Harden with Rockets last 11 points of the half, has 25, has made 5 of 7 3s. Magic 6 of 11 on 3s in the second quarter. Westbrook with 17, Fournier 20.

The Orlando Magic have an awesome broadcast team.

Isaiah Hartenstein hustles, but man can he look rough on offense when he's not rebounding.

Team low plus/minus of -4 in 4 minutes.

Those minutes were not kind to Isaiah Hartenstein.

Hartenstein has twice lost the ball in the lane, giving up buckets at the rim on the other end. That's enough to have D'Antoni go with the small lineup. Tucker, Clark to check in after the time out.

Russell Westbrook in the 1st quarter:

9 points
3 rebounds
1 assist

4-7 from the field
1-2 from 3-PT range pic.twitter.com/46XhPhb6CD

Pending a thorough video examination by officials during the commercial break, the Rockets tentatively have a 28-22 lead at one.

Rockets 28, Magic 22 after 1. Rockets largest lead after a slow start. Terrific quarter for Westbrook, in his best stretch of the season lately. Had nine points. Rockets 5 of 10 from deep.