Chris Paul is nearing his return from a bruised left knee he initially suffered on Oct. 11th and aggravated in their season opener. 

Paul ramped up his workouts on Sunday and could return on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns.

"We don’t want to push it,” Mike D’Antoni said. “If not Thursday, then we’ll see about Saturday (in Memphis). He worked out hard (Sunday.) We’ll see how he feels Tuesday and Wednesday. That (having Paul play on Thursday) is what we’re shooting for.”

The Rockets have the best record in the Western Conference at 11-3 despite missing Paul since the opener.

The Houston Rockets will need Clint Capela to take yet another step in his development if they are to fully challenge the Golden State Warriors.

With a veteran roster, Capela is one of the Rockets' only players that still has room to grow. Capela currently ranks fifth in the NBA in PER.

"The only way [to overcome the Warriors] is to develop near-elite two-way players," Daryl Morey said. "I think Clint has that potential. He's on the way. He took a big step forward last year. It's a lot to put on one guy, but we need one more step, at least."

"To me, it's just a matter of time," Mike D'Antoni said. "I'll be very surprised if he doesn't become, if not the best center in the league, one of the best. I'll be shocked."

Caepla will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

"We'll have him here as long as he'll have us," Morey said. "He couldn't price himself out."

The Los Angeles Clippers never advanced out of the second round during the tenure of Chris Paul, and there were often concerns of whether their Big 3 brought out the best in each other.

When Paul left the Clippers, he talked about issues with the culture.

“The dynamic with Blake and Chris was weird," said Austin Rivers. "I don’t know why. It was just strange. No one knew who the leader was, and if you had something to say, it would turn into an argument. I think people were sometimes scared to say something to Blake, because you didn’t know how he’d react. [Now] he’s a whole different person, more approachable, and I think it’s because we’ve embraced him. We know who our leader is. We’re all-in with Blake Griffin.”

Paul left the Clippers in the offseason to sign with the Houston Rockets.

“We were front-runners,” Griffin said. “When things were going great, the ball was hopping around. But when we felt resistance in games, we splintered. I just want to make sure, even when we have down moments, we don’t splinter.” 

Three years ago, Griffin asked Tim Duncan for advice on dealing with Paul.

“He said, ‘The leader isn’t the guy yelling the loudest or talking the most,’” Griffin recounts. “It’s the guy everybody looks at in the end and knows, ‘I’m following him.’” 

Kristaps Porzingis and James Harden have been named the NBA's Players of the Week.

Porzingis averaged 33.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.

Harden averaged 36.3 points and 10 assists per game for the week.

James Harden scored a career high 56 points going 19-for-25 from the floor in the Houston Rockets' 137-110 win over the Utah Jazz.

Harden became the first player since Michael Jordan to score that many points on 25 or fewer shots.

"I was just shooting it, I don't know," Harden said. "I don't really pay too much attention to it. I just try to take good shots and, like I said, pretty much make the right decision. Obviously, I'm going to make mistakes, but as long as I have that mindset, I'll be good.

"I've just got to be aggressive. Be aggressive, good things happen, not just for myself but for my team. I was still able to dish off a couple of assists and get guys involved still. I've just got to have that mindset every single game."

Harden has now scored 50 or more points six times in his career.