The Houston Rockets just finished up a run of games against the top teams in the Eastern Conference (and the Atlanta Hawks). Not only did they go three for three against the top East teams, but their top three players each had a turn willing the team to victory.

Aaron Gordon rejoined Denver’s starting lineup on Wednesday night against the Knicks, with Russell Westbrook staying in the lineup and Christian Braun moving to the bench.

Michael Shapiro is a sports reporter for Chron, covering the Astros, Rockets, Texans and every team in town. Michael is a Denver native and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and a noted fan of pull-up threes, wide-receiver passes and a good hot fudge sundae.

Iffy for Friday

Aaron Gordon, the Nuggets' typical starting power forward, has come off the bench in five consecutive appearances since returning from his second calf strain of the season. Denver has won all five games since,

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone made a lineup change on Wednesday night, benching Christian Braun for Aaron Gordon against the Knicks.

Also, how will it affect our power rankings? All good things to ponder as our NBA insiders break down this week's list. Note: Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (ESPN's Tim Bontemps,

Welcome to this week's roundup of the biggest risers and fallers in fantasy basketball! As the season unfolds, player performances continue to shake up the rankings and impact fantasy rosters. Whether it's a breakout star making waves or a struggling veteran losing ground,

James Harden (24), Norman Powell (23) and Ivica Zubac (25) all scored 20+ points in the loss, snapping LA’s two-game win streak. Kawhi Leonard played a season-high 28 minutes and finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block.

The Rockets announced their presence as a title contender this week, but everyone is still chasing Oklahoma City in the West. 1. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-8, Last Week No. 1). The Thunder went 3-2 in this stretch of games without either Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstien,

The only first-round pick the Cavs can trade is in 2031. That leaves them with few future assets that can be moved for a big swing. Jaylon Tyson is the only young player on the roster who could conceivably be moved and have value as a young prospect for other teams.

Welcome back to another installment of HoopsHype’s power rankings! Last time, we looked at X-Factors. This week, I wanted to do something a little differ