Red Nation Hoops: A Houston Rockets Pod

Latest Episodes:

Rockets Rewind: Cavaliers @ Rockets w/ Ben DuBose Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

First Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) have a serious discussion of the deep, systematic racism in this country, police brutality, the significance of this week's events, and what regular people can do to try and help causes like Black Lives Matter.

Then, Salman and special guest Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) discuss:

-Why this is one of their favorite Rockets' games of the decade

-How this is James Harden's "arrival" game

-The many amazing Harden highlights in this game, including a crossover of LeBron James

-Did Harden mean to kick LeBron in the groin and was the one-game suspension fair?

-Did this game permanently damage LeBron's relationship with Harden and the Rockets?

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets @ Clippers (5-14-15) w/ Craig Ackerman May 29, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and special guest Craig Ackerman (@ca_rockets) discuss:

-Why this could be the greatest Rockets' game of the decade

-How this was the first insane NBA comeback of the decade

-Analyzing Kevin McHale's decision to bench James Harden with hindsight

-The unlikely heroes of Josh Smith, Corey Brewer, and Terrence Jones

-The atmosphere of the building

-Breaking down Clippers' body language

-The steps to the comeback

-How Dwight Howard is the unsung hero in this game

+Why the Michael Jordan pizza poisoning conspiracy is bogus

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How did James Harden get so skinny? Plus Rockets Rewind: Rockets vs. Warriors (05-24-18) w/ Kelly Iko May 25, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and The Athletic's Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) discuss:

-How did James Harden get so skinny?

-The process that went behind Harden's transformation

-Reliving the most bittersweet playoff victory in Rockets' franchise history

-How we don't talk about Chris Paul's hamstring injury enough

-Why the conversation around Houston's loss to Golden State is so convoluted

-What happens if Paul doesn't tear his hamstring?

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets @ Warriors (10-17-17) w/ Craig Ackerman May 18, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and special guest Craig Ackerman (@ca_rockets) discuss:

-NBA beginning to ramp up for possible reopen

-The buildup to the 2017-18 series and Houston's rivalry with the Warriors

-Remembering the very exciting season opener in Oakland

-What is the greatest Rockets game of the last decade?

Listen to The Red Nation Hoops Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, and Spotify.

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets vs. Magic (1-30-18) w/ Ben DuBose May 10, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and special guest Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) go into head coach rumors for the Rockets before recapping one of the greatest games in James Harden's career: Rockets vs. Magic from January of 2018. The two discuss:

-James Harden passing up Calvin Murphy to grab the Rockets' single-game scoring record

-The injuries the Rockets sustained at the time (Trevor Ariza, Chris Paul, and Eric Gordon)

-Harden's constant drives to the basket

-How this season was the culmination of a lot of special things for James Harden

-How this game helped Harden eventually win the MVP for that season

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets @ Trail Blazers (12-09-17) w/ Adam Spolane May 03, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and special guest Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) recap one of the seminal James Harden & Chris Paul games of the last few years: Rockets @ Trail Blazers from December of 2017. The two discuss:

-Why this game was really important at the time

-The lead up to this game and how it paints how we view it

-Discussing the Chris Paul trade in detail

-Our initial reservations of the fit between Paul and Harden

-How this game foreshadows how the Rockets decide to play going forward

-The significance of the 2017-18 Rockets

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Potential Playoff Preview: Rockets-Lakers w/ Dan Favale Apr 25, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Bleacher Report's Dan Favale (@DanFavale) preview a potential Rockets-Lakers playoff series. The two discuss:

-The likeliness of an NBA postseason

-Will the Rockets make the Western Conference Finals for this matchup?

-How micro-ball has completely changed the dynamics for this series

-What players can and can't survive in this series

-Why is Robert Covington so important to what the Rockets want to do in this series?

-Can Houston slow down LeBron James?

-Importance of the rebounding battle for Houston

-Series predictions

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets vs. Knicks (12-31-16) Apr 17, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Forrest Walker (@DUNOTS) discuss:

-The 2016 NBA MVP race between James Harden and Russell Westbrook

-Why the voters got it wrong

-The backdrop to this game

-James Harden's ridiculous performance against the Knicks (53 points, 17 assists, and 16 rebounds)

-Harden's ability to carry Houston to improbable victories

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Potential Playoff Preview: Rockets-Clippers w/ Tomer Azarly Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly), Clippers beat writer for ClutchPoints preview a potential Rockets-Clippers series from all angles. The two discuss:

-How likely is Clippers/Rockets?

-The deep-rooted, contentious history between the Clippers and Rockets

-How fair is Houston's heavy underdog status in this series?

-Can the Clippers match up with Houston's micro-ball lineups?

-Why Danuel House would be one of Houston's sneaky most important players

-Matchups to keep an eye on

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Rockets Rewind: Rockets @Warriors (12-01-16) w/ Adam Spolane Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) and special guest Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) recap the 2016 double-overtime thriller between the Warriors and Rockets. The topics discussed include:

-The offseason of 2016, specifically for the Rockets

-The narrative around Houston before this season

-How well this Rockets' team fit together

-Houston's past failures against the Warriors in seasons prior

-Was this the first time Houston made Golden State sweat?

-Ryan Anderson (29 points) and Eric Gordon's performances (23 points)

Listen to The Red Nation Hoops Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher, and Spotify.

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