Houston Rockets

Matt Barnes is sounding off on everything from NBA fighting, to the NBA refs sucking, to calling Austin Rivers an arrogant punk ... and he doesn't care who knows it.

The recently retired NBA star went off on the NBA refs on Tuesday night -- telling TMZ Sports straight-up, "Now that they can't fine me, the refs are terrible!" The refs got too big of egos."

He also said why NBA fighting can be good for the league.

As for his former Clippers teammate, Austin Rivers ... buckle up.

"Austin kinda rubs people the wrong way," Barnes told "Mad Dog Sports Radio" ... "He talks a lot of trash and doesn't really back it up. I think people are probably tired of that."

Barnes says Rivers "carries himself like he's a 10-time All Star and he's not that and that kind of arrogance rubs you the wrong way."

"And then if you're talking trash on top of that there are some guys that's not gonna have it and I know Trevor [Ariza's] one of 'em."

Despite tempers flaring and a locker room standoff, Houston Rockets player Eric Gordon says the incident with the Clippers is simply, "No biggie."

Yeah, right.

Gordon hit up Catch in West Hollywood after the heated battle with the Clippers in which several Rockets players -- including Chris Paul -- reportedly tried to fight Clips players in the tunnel and locker room area after the game.

Gordon told TMZ Sports he doesn't expect any suspensions and really played the whole thing down as no big deal.

One of the Rockets players reportedly involved in storming the locker room was Gerald Green -- who was also at dinner with Gordon after the game. He looked calmer, but still upset.

Nearby ... Clippers star DeAndre Jordan hit Poppy alone -- but he wasn't his usual talkative self for obvious reasons.

Lookin' for a place to pee? Try Chris Paul's brand new Houston-area mansion ... 'cause the dude has enough bathrooms to handle a small army!!!

TMZ Sports has learned the NBA superstar purchased an 18,717 square foot estate in Spring, Texas -- 30 miles from the Toyota Center where the Houston Rockets play.

Paul had been eyeing the mega-mansion for a while but finally closed on the place in October. It was originally listed for $8 MILLION ... but we're told CP3 got a good deal on it.

Besides the 14 toilets ... the home has 9 bedrooms, a 6-car garage and is on an exclusive Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. Don't worry, we're told the home is in a private gated community.

Paul has reportedly made more than $186 million in his NBA career -- so ... this ain't nothing for him.

#ItsGoodToBeRich

Here's James Harden proving he doesn't need teammates to shine ... getting his solo groove on after hours at one of the hottest clubs in NYC.

It went down at 1 OAK, where we're told Harden was partying with his crew (and some lovely ladies) until the early hours of Wednesday morning.

We're told the spot normally closes up shop at 4 AM, but James asked they stay open an hour later (which they do all the time for celebs) and the resulting groove is captured in this video.

BTW -- the song is "Heartbreak On A Full Moon" by Chris Brown ... and yeah, it's a jam, even if you don't want it to be.

Add James Harden to the list of NBA players showing support for Meek Mill ... 'cause the Houston Rockets superstar visited the rapper in prison on Tuesday and says "his spirit is high."

Harden took some time in-between games to visit Meek at the State Correctional Institution in Chester, PA and reported back on social media.

"Got a chance to see my bro Meek Mill today. His spirit is high and hopefully we can get him out by February," Harden wrote.

"Told me to tell y'all when he get out he got some (fire) for y'all."

Sources connected to Meek tell TMZ Sports ... the NBA star had some special "Free Meek" sneakers whipped up and plans to rock them on the court on Thursday when the Rockets play the Celtics.

As we previously reported, Joel Embiid and 76ers owner Michael Rubin visited Meek last month and said he was doing well. Colin Kaepernick also spoke with Meek and said Meek was "humbled" by the support.

No matter how you feel about LiAngelo Ball ditching UCLA, leave 'Gelo out of it ... 'cause LaVar Ball didn't let his son call his own shot -- so says Rockets PG Briante Weber.

"Daddy rules, so he probably had no say-so," Briante told TMZ Sports outside Poppy in L.A. "He's really just following what his pops said."

Maybe, maybe not. In an interview on Tuesday, LaVar essentially said he made the decision for LiAngelo ... but added that they were "on the same page."

Bob McNair's "inmates" comments could serve as free agent repellent ... scaring off top NFL players who simply don't want to play for the Houston Texans owner ... so says Kenny Smith.

The former Rockets star is a legend in Houston and says McNair's comments at a recent NFL owner's meeting -- where he said, "Can't have the inmates running the prison" -- didn't fall on deaf ears.

"It will be difficult to attract great free agents," Smith says ... noting that McNair has to "really make a big stance" to prove he's not the racially insensitive jerk some of his own players think he is.

Remember, DeAndre Hopkins was so pissed at McNair he walked out of Texans practice -- so, who's gonna willingly join a team with so much internal drama?

Tilman Fertitta -- the man who just bought the Houston Rockets -- is working with the Vegas casino he owns to help victims and first responders affected by the mass shooting, TMZ Sports has learned.

Fertitta owns the Golden Nugget -- and we're told he's personally been on the phone with hotel management to help strategize how they can best use their resources to help out.

We're told the Nugget has already reached out to MGM Resorts to help house families of people killed or injured in the shootings. With more than 500 people injured, lodging could be an issue and Fertitta wants to make sure the families are taken care of.

Tilman Fertitta tells TMZ Sports he's absolutely STOKED about buying the Houston Rockets -- explaining it's been a lifelong dream ... and he wants to bring Beyonce into the fold.

We spoke with the "Billion Dollar Buyer" star moments after it was announced he bought the NBA team for $2.2 BILLION ... and he told us he'll work his ass off to make Houston proud.

As far as Beyonce -- who was in the running to buy the team -- Tilman praises her as a wonderful ambassador for Houston and hopes she'll join his team "in some capacity."

"It would be great to have her involved in any way."

FYI, Fertitta has made a fortune in the restaurant business -- he owns Catch, Mastro's, Bubba Gump and the Rainforest Cafe spots -- and says he can't wait to come to L.A. to beat the Lakers and the Clippers.

Chris Paul is putting his money where his mouth is -- writing $75,000 in checks to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The NBA star -- who was just traded to the Houston Rockets -- heeded charity calls from both J.J. Watt and Kevin Hart.

Watt confirmed CP3 donated $50k to the Houston Flood Relief Fund -- putting the NFL star over his initial fundraising goal of $500,000.

Kevin Hart had also challenged celebs to donate to the American Red Cross -- and Paul stepped up with a $25,000 donation.

Together, J.J. and Kev have raised more than $850k toward flood relief.

Good work, fellas.

Beyonce's mom tells TMZ Sports it would be "really great" if her daughter became the next owner of the Houston Rockets -- saying she's got the Houston connection that fans would love!

After current Rockets owner Leslie Alexander announced he was selling the team last month, Beyonce's name showed up in reports as a very interested buyer.

So, when we saw Tina Knowles leaving Mastro's Steakhouse in Bev Hills on Tuesday, we had to ask ... what's up?!

Tina wasn't spilling the tea on B's business plans -- but did explain why she thinks the Rockets would be the perfect fit for her daughter.

File Under: "Too Little, Too Late"

Kevin Hart wants his good friend, Chris Paul, to stay in Los Angeles so badly, he's using his own money to convince him to back out of the Rockets deal.

Didn't work though.

Kev and CP3 hit up Madeo for dinner -- and on the way out, Hart whipped out his wallet to pay for Paul's valet ... telling his pal, "Don't leave L.A., Chris!"

Chris smiled and told Kev, "Don't do that."

Obviously, that ship has sailed -- Chris signed with the Houston Rockets after 6 seasons with the Clippers.

Close your eyes, Clippers fans ... here's the first footage of James Harden & Chris Paul hooping together since CP3 joined the Rockets, and the guys look pretty freakin' good together.

The game went down in L.A., and Paul and Harden weren't the only NBA guys playing -- they were joined by Rockets teammate Trevor Ariza and NBA champion JaVale McGee.

It's a pretty sick video uploaded by YouBall Training honchos Thomas Scott and Anthony Davis (not that one).

Ready to call 'em a superteam yet?

Klay Thompson's dad, Mychal, says the Warriors better hope the Carmelo Anthony trade is dead, 'cause if the Rockets get Melo, they'll be a legit threat to dethrone his son's team.

Houston's already stacked with James Harden and CP3 ... so we asked Thompson -- a former NBA stud himself -- if acquiring Melo would make the Rockets the best team in the league.

"You add Carmelo Anthony to Chris Paul and James Harden, you gotta take them serious."

But is it enough to topple KD, Steph, Klay and Draymond?

We also talked to Mychal about Klay's epic dance moves in China ... guess where KK got those moves.

Ted Cruz thinks James Harden deserves every nickel of his historic $228 million contract extension with the Houston Rockets ... just as long as it pays off on the court.

The Texas senator was in D.C. Sunday morning where he was asked what he thought of Harden landing the record NBA deal. He gives a bit of a stump speech answer at first -- saying Harden and CP3 should give Golden State a run for their money.

"Business and basketball are two different things. They say don't take it personal, but everybody does." -- Austin Rivers on Chris Paul.

The Clippers star was at LAX when it kept it 100 about the situation involving his former teammate -- telling TMZ Sports he's happy for the guy, but it's gonna get intense when they face the Houston Rockets next season.

"You saw what happened when the Warriors played the Thunder this year. There was a lot of emotion in there."

"I don't think it'll be quite like that but it'll definitely be a lot of fireworks that game if I had to take a guess."