HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- Eric Gordon's return to the floor didn't start as he hoped. In 11 first half minutes, the Rockets guard missed all six of his shots.
But as the Rockets stormed back from 10 points down in the third quarter, he came alive.
"We know how valuable he is to our team," Rockets guard James Harden said. "We know how capable he is at getting going and changing the dynamic of the game."
Gordon was kept out of the Rockets last two games with a right leg contusuin, and following that scoreless first half, he lit up the scoreboard 14 seconds after re-entering the game in the third quarter.
It started with a layup when the Rockets were down 10. He scored six more points in the quarter as the Rockets closed on a 10-0 run to take the lead.
Then he helped put the game away with a pair of threes in the fourth.
"That's what we need from him," Harden said. "That's why me and (Russell Westbrook) make a conscious effort to get him the ball, get him shots, and you see how it was a four, six-point game and he hit a 3 and another 3. ... you busted the lead open to 12. It's that fast that things can change and he's a huge part of what we're doing."
Gordon's fourth season as a Rocket hasn't been nearly as smooth as his first three. A myriad of right leg issues have forced him to miss 30 games, but it's been a struggle when he has played.
"It's been a tough task for me all season," Gordon said. "When you have a surgery during the season, there's always going to be ups and downs because as you get older in this league, your body's already been through wear and tear, and when (the surgery) is happening during the season, you just got to deal with balancing your body out as in strengthening as you try to go into every practice and in every game.
"So, I've been focusing on that, but it's good to get out there and really hone in and focus on what we need to do and try to, for me to do well and also for us to win."
Following Tuesday's 16-point outing, Gordon is averaging 14.5 points per game this season, and while he's shooting just 37 percent from the field and 32 percent from behind the 3-point line, he says he's feeling better on the floor.
Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni knows they need him out there.
"He's a big piece, there's no doubt about it, and the way we play should really benefit him." D'Antoni said.
"This was a good step because he was 0-for-6 in the first half and then he ended up 5-for-15, so that's 5-for-9 (in the second half), and he hit two big threes. He's got the ability to hit clutch shots, so having him finish games, and having him defensively is good."
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