Rockets Earn Third Straight Win in Blowout vs. Bulls

The Rockets rebounded from a sluggish first half against the Bulls on Saturday en route to a 117-94 victory at the United Center in Chicago. James Harden fell one assist short of his first triple-double of the season, and Houston held Chicago to just 4-32 from beyond the arc. The Rockets now sit tied for third in the West at 6–3 despite an uneven performance through nine games, with a road matchup against the lottery-bound Pelicans on Monday. Last week's disaster in Miami appears firmly in the rearview mirror. 

Here are three takeaways from Saturday's victory. 

Harden Flashes MVP Form

Harden turned in his most complete offensive performance of the season on Saturday, finishing the night with 42 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in Houston's victory. Harden came close to his first triple-double of the season, though his shooting efficiency was the most encouraging metric of the evening.

The Beard finished with night making nine of 19 threes, and he went on an absolute tear midway through the fourth quarter. Harden buried a trio of step-back triples in the fourth, burying threes despite a hand in his face from a slate of Bulls defenders. Harden's three over Zach LaVine appeared to surprise the two-time scoring champion.

Houston's superstar now has four 40-point games in his last seven outings. He has a healthy lead in the chase for the scoring title at 37.1 points per game, aiming to become the third player in NBA history to win three straight scoring titles alongside Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan. Any concerns over Harden's early shooting numbers are firmly in the rearview mirror.  

Fourth Quarter Westbrook Returns

Russell Westbrook was the Rockets' headliner to start the year, with Houston's offseason acquisition taking over in multiple fourth quarters. He picked up the trend once again on Saturday night. 

Head coach Mike D'Antoni called a timeout early in the fourth quarter, bemoaning Houston's energy and effort after a brief 5-0 Bulls run to cut their deficit to 14. But Westbrook quickly squashed Chicago's hopes following D'Antoni's timeout. Westbrook blitzed the Bulls for back-to-back layups after the stoppage, adding a third bucket at the rim to give Houston an 18-point lead with under ten minutes remaining. 

It wasn't a perfect night for Westbrook as he finished the evening with seven turnovers and just two assists in 32 minutes. His shot profile has regressed over the last week; the mid-range shots are becoming increasingly prevalent. But Westbrook's flaws can often be masked by pure energy and athleticism, both of which were on full display in the second-half against Chicago. 

House Shines in Starting Lineup

D'Antoni announced Danuel House would start in place of Eric Gordon on Saturday, returning the Rockets to their starting lineup to begin the season. The decision paid immediate dividends.

House was a menace defensively against Chicago, notching a career-high six steals to go with 11 points and five rebounds. The third-year swingman spent minutes covering point guard Tomas Satoransky, and he even guarded bigs Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr in limited possessions. House brings a defensive versatility unseen throughout the rest of the Rockets' roster, and he appears to be more than a passable three-point shooter. 

House is a touch raw off the bounce–three of his four turnovers on Saturday came when attacking closeouts–though playmaking on the wing isn't a requirement for earning significant minutes in Houston's system. House could entrench himself as the Rockets' starting small forward in the coming weeks, relegating the struggling Eric Gordon to a sixth-man role. Daryl Morey appears to have found a G League gem in the Texas A&M product. 

Up Next: at New Orleans on Monday

The Rockets will look to earn their second win of the season over the Pelicans after securing a home victory on Oct. 26. Houston will have to contain Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, who erupted for 35 points and 15 rebounds in New Orleans' loss at the Toyota Center. Tip-off on Monday from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans is slated for 6 p.m. CT.