Christian Wood and James Harden tortured the Orlando Magic
Christian Wood scored 22 points and tied a career-high with 15 rebounds, James Harden and PJ Tucker added 15 points and the Houston Rockets decimated 132–90 the short-handed Orlando Magic on Friday night.
“Obviously, they were very decimated… so we took advantage,” Houston coach Stephen Silas said about 29-point lead at halftime. “But we really played hard and it seems like our concepts are really sinking in more.”
Silas response when told there are critics saying Harden is not playing hard enough: “He’s done everything I’ve needed him to do. He’s played on the ball, off the ball. He’s played defense…That’s not what I see from him or the group.”
Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 12 rebounds and Cole Anthony had 15 points for Magic. Mo Bamba had 12 points and seven rebounds and Khem Birch had 11 points and five rebounds.
The Magic opened the season (6–2) very well but they lost two significant players in the process. Aaron Gordon sat out with a left hamstring injury, while Markelle Fultz sustained a season-ending knee injury in a win over Cleveland on Wednesday night.
“This game had a lot more to do with a lack of readiness and a lack of professionalism and a lack of effort than it did talent,” coach Steve Clifford said in the press conference after the game.