Month: January 2022

Early Hole Dooms Rockets in 125-110 Loss to Blazers

A New Trio.    Home Woes.    Late Lift-Off.    

Oh how the wonders of a road trip can bring an NBA team together, especially a young group. And the Rockets are missing the road right now, as Houston struggled once again in their own building, falling to the Trail Blazers, 125-110, on Friday night. Similar to their previous loss to San Antonio, the Rockets were beaten by a balanced attack from the opposition. Six different players for Portland scored at least a dozen points. The trio of C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, and Anfernee Simons combined for 78 points, as Houston had no answers for Portland’s three best healthy players. With Damian Lillard out for the season with an injury, Simons has basically stepped into Lillard’s role, and shown he’s a valuable commodity in this league. Simons is no superstar, but he led the Blazers with 27 points on Friday night. And while Portland is still struggling this season, Simons, McCollum, and Nurkic are by far the Blazers three best players behind Lillard, proving to be a formidable trio of sorts against weaker competition.

Christian Wood and Garrison Mathews scored 21 apiece to lead the Rockets. Jalen Green had a bounce back game with 17 points, and K.J. Martin had one of his best outings of the season, also adding 17 points for Houston. However, it wasn’t enough, as the squad dropped their third straight game. The Rockets got off to yet another slow start, a trend that’s been one of Houston’s worst habits all season. The Blazers held a 12-point edge after one quarter, with the Rockets failing to erase the deficit. It’s hard to play when you’re behind double-digits, even more difficult for one of the youngest teams in the NBA, in Houston. If the Rockets continue to get off to slow starts, they’re trimming their chances of winning, as the squad’s shown the ability to come back, but more often than not, these late lift-offs aren’t resulting in Houston victories.

The friendly confines of Toyota Center haven’t been so comfortable for Houston lately. The Rockets have now lost their last ten games in a row at home, a franchise record. Houston will look to bounce back, and get revenge against a more difficult opponent, as the Warriors come to town on Monday night. Steph Curry won the previous meeting with a buzzer-beating shot for Golden State. Hopefully the Rockets will have more energy defensively with a big-name opponent coming to town, as opposed to the first two games in this home-stand. Houston needs it if they want any chance of finally putting a home win together for the first time in nearly two months.   

Rockets Seek to Bounce Back, Square Off Against Blazers

Back to Square One.    The McCollum Problem.    Reaching Distance.

 

After having another two days off, the Rockets are back in action on Friday night. This time, the squad hosts the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland is without their best player, likely for the rest of the season, in Damian Lillard. Echoes of rebuilding have been around the Blazers’ franchise all season. Portland’s played basically .500 basketball over their last ten games. Tonight’s a very winnable game for Houston, but which Rockets team will we see? Hopefully, a couple of off-days wasn’t too much time away from the game, as we saw what transpired in Houston’s previous contest after having three days off. After going 3-2, and nearly 4-1, on a tough West-Coast road trip, the Rockets returned home to get blown out by one of the West’s worst teams, in the Spurs. Houston certainly has the potential to beat Portland tonight, but they’ll have to play with more effort, and get off to better start than they did against San Antonio.

The Blazers may be without Damian Lillard, their franchise player, but they still have C.J. McCollum, who recently returned from a lengthy injury due to a collapsed lung. McCollum is slowly regaining his All-Star form, and could be due for a big game tonight if Houston’s defense doesn’t contain his abilities. The Rockets are just looking for a better game overall, after a disappointing 30-point loss to a team they beat a few weeks ago on the road. Hopefully Houston makes tonight’s contest a competitive one.

With a record of 20-28, the Blazers hold the tenth and final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets may be in last place, but they’re still only six games behind Portland, five with a victory tonight. It’s a stretch to think playoffs with this young inconsistent Houston squad, but it’s not impossible. Games like tonight are ones the Rockets have to win if they want to turn that miracle of sneaking into the postseason a reality. For now, they’ll look to improve after seemingly returning to square one in their first home game in ages. The Rockets haven’t won in Houston since December 8th. It’s time the squad gets their first victory of the calendar year at home, tonight facing the Blazers.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trail Blazers (20-28):  White

Houston Rockets (14-34):  Navy “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Demolished by Spurs, 134-104, in Return Home

Eight-Headed Monster.    Too Much Time.    Back of the Pack.

Houston returned home from a successful road-trip, only to be obliterated by the San Antonio Spurs, 134-104, one of the Rockets’ worst losses of the season. San Antonio used a balanced attack to pummel Houston, with eight different Spurs scoring in double-figures. Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poetl primarily led the way for San Antonio. Murray scored 19 points and dished out 10 assists. Poetl scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. led the way for the Rockets with 16 points and 9 assists. Christian Wood failed to get a double-double, which is rare these days, and Houston trailed by double-digits after one quarter. The Rockets never overcame, or even threatened San Antonio’s lead after the first period.

This was Houston’s first game in four days, as the Rockets had three days off after they returned from their road-trip. Perhaps it was too much time off? The squad looked rusty, and may have lost some of their chemistry that was providing for an eventful road trip. Houston has three more home games before they go back on the road, so the Rockets will look to generate the same chemistry they found on their road trip in these upcoming games at Toyota Center.

After being in fourteenth place in the West, Houston is now pushed to the back of the pack, last in the Conference. The Rockets are still only roughly six games out of the last play-in spot, which belongs to their next opponent, the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston hosts the Blazers on Friday night, as the Rockets will aim to get back on the winning track.

Rockets Return Home, Host Spurs in Part 2 of I-10 Rivalry

Bringing it Home.    Round 2.    Same Kick.    

After a successful road-trip, where the Rockets exceeded expectations with a 3-2 record, the squad returns home for a four-game home-stand. Up first is the same team Houston started their previous road-trip against: the San Antonio Spurs. Since that matchup on January 12th, which the Rockets won 128-124, the Spurs have dropped four of their last six games, while Houston finished their road trip with a 2-2 mark. The Rockets got robbed of a victory in their last game, and still have momentum going from a positive road-trip they need to carry home as they host the rival Spurs on Tuesday night.

It’s round two tonight in the I-10 rivalry. Houston took the first matchup in a close hard-fought battle. The biggest problem for the Rockets will once again be containing San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray. The Spurs star had a triple-double, and one of the best game of his career the first time these teams squared off. Since they last played, Keldon Johnson has returned from injury for the Spurs, along with Doug McDermott. Johnson, along with Jakob Poelt and Derrick White, will also put pressure on Houston’s defense tonight.

Well, the Rockets kicked-off their previous road-trip with a win over the Spurs. Can they do the same at home. Toyota Center should be rocking, as Houston hasn’t played a home game in over two weeks. The squad needs to put the heartbreaking loss in the Bay Area behind them, and focus on the positive factors. The Rockets were nearly a shot away from going 4-1 instead of 3-2 on their road-trip. Houston has been playing much better, and gained some chemistry while they were away from home. We’ll see if the squad brings that home with them as they return to Toyota Center tonight for round 2 in the I-10 rivalry.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

San Antonio Spurs (17-30):  White

Houston Rockets (14-33):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Lose Heartbreaker to Warriors, 105-103, as Road Trip Ends

Hard Fought Loss.    Two Sinking Ships.    Eventful Trip.

Houston outplayed the Warriors, but the Rockets fell short in Golden State. 105-103, to close out their five-game road trip. Stephen Curry’s shot at the buzzer won the game for the Warriors, who barely escaped Houston’s wrath. Curry continued to struggle, scoring only 22 points on poor shooting. Christian Wood led the Rockets with a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double.

At the moment, the Rockets and Warriors are two of the NBA’s sinking ships. While Houston may improve over the final third of the season, the Rockets are still a long-shot to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Warriors, who looked poised to earn the number one seed over the first third of the season, now could possibly fall out of home-court advantage. The Dubs will still be postseason-bound, but they’re struggling  mightily to integrate Klay Thompson back into the lineup. More dangerously, it’s had a negative impact on Andrew Wiggins’ play, who was playing like an All-Star before Klay’s return. Wiggins will likely still be named an All-Star for the first time, but don’t expect him to regain his form from the first half of the season. Draymond Green is still without a timetable to return. And Steph Curry is having the worst shooting season of his career, and celebrates a win over the worst team in his conference like he won the championship. Golden State’s in trouble, whether you believe it or not.

Despite the Rockets heartbreaking-loss to end their road-trip, it was a successful journey nonetheless. Houston went 3-2 on the trip, and exceeded expectations with an especially impressive win in Utah. The Rockets return home where they’ll get three days off before hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.

Rockets Close Road Trip Against Wobbling Warriors

Dream Ending.    Hustle Battle.    Successful Trip.

Not many people expected the Rockets to win more than two games on their current five-game road-trip, but the squad’s exceeded expectations. As Houston arrives at their final stop on this journey, in the Bar Area, they’re winners of three of their last four games. And on Friday night they’ll be facing a Golden State Warriors team who’s struggled since All-Star Klay Thompson returned to the lineup after missing nearly two years with injuries. The Dubs have dropped six of their last nine games, including a brutal three-hour overtime-thriller at home to the Indiana Pacers last night. The Warriors will be without Klay Thompson tonight, who’s still working his way back into NBA-shape. It’s Golden State’s third game in four days, and the second of a back-to-back, and the Warriors won’t be risking anything with one of their cornerstones of their franchise, at least not in the regular season.

Today happens to be Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon’s birthday. Olajuwon is the greatest player in Rockets franchise history. The Dream led the team that won back-to-back Championships, and yet he’s still one of the most underrated great players of all time, in my opinion. His name isn’t mentioned enough when people list their top players of all time. This current Houston team will look to end this road trip with a dream victory over the team that knocked them out of the playoffs several times last decade. A win would give the Rockets a 4-1 record on this road-trip, which no one saw coming before this journey started.

Along with Thompson, Draymond Green remains out with an injury, and Andrew Wiggins is questionable heading into tonight’s matchup with a sore left foot. So the Warriors could be extremely short-handed on Friday night. They’ll likely have a lot of guys on the court fighting to prove they deserve more playing time. And Golden State’s coming off a tough three-hour game last night, so it’ll be interesting to see what their energy level is like against the Rockets, who still hold the worst record in the Western Conference. Regardless, whoever wins the hustle battle tonight, likely prevails as the victor. If Houston can pounce on the Warriors early, they can potentially wear them down if the game gets close in the clutch. The Rockets still have to deal with Stephen Curry, who will be playing tonight. Curry scored 39 points to lead the Dubs, and can win a game by himself if he’s having a hot shooting night. If Houston leaves it all on the floor like they did in Utah… they have a good chance at exceeding the expectations of onlookers once again.

 

Chase Center:  San Francisco, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (14-32):  Red

Golden State Warriors (32-13):  White

 

Tip-Off:  9 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Rally Past Jazz, 116-111, for Second Straight Win

Another Bird Sighting.    Distance Domination.    Road Warriors.

Houston came out like warriors in Utah, gaining a 9-point lead after the first quarter. But to no one’s surprise, the Rockets eventually were mired in one of their usual slumps, scoring only 21 points in the second period, and staring at a 5-point deficit at halftime. Houston trailed by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, before they went on a 15-0 run near the end of the period. Overall, the Rockets ended the third period on a 21-6 run to seize control of the game, and staved off the Jazz for an impressive 116-111 win. The victory is Houston’s third in four games on this current road trip, as the Rockets are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Utah played without their best perimeter player, Donovan Mitchell, who was a late scratch with concussion-symptoms. Regardless, the Jazz still had a talented, experienced enough squad to get the job done, especially at home. The knockout in Utah is especially impressive for this young Rockets team who struggled monumentally on the road to start the season.

Garrison Matthews had his second straight stellar performance. Garry Bird scored 23 points, tying his season-high, to lead all Houston players. Matthews has now scored 40 points on 9-for-15 shooting from distance in the team’s last two wins. The Rockets as a team had one of their best three-point shooting nights of the season in Utah. Houston shot 49% (22-for-45) from three-point range against the Jazz, and had six different players nail at least three shots from distance. When the Rockets are connecting from long range, they’re a very difficult team to beat, as the three-pointer is key to the squad’s success. Christian Wood recorded another double-double, posting 13 points and 15 boards for the Rockets. Jae’Sean Tate added 18 points, and Eric Gordon score 16 for Houston. Kevin Porter Jr. continues to play more efficient basketball as opposed to earlier in the season. Scoot scored 15 points on 50% shooting and dished out 8 assists on the night. Utah, meanwhile, struggled from three-point range, shooting only 26% on the night. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 29 points. Rudy Gobert added 23 points and 9 rebounds. But Utah was clearly missing a spark that Mitchell could’ve provided, and the Rockets took advantage of this opportunity.

Houston has now won three of their last four games, all on this current five-game road trip. After starting the season 4-18 away from home, the Rockets are now now trying to end the road trip with a 4-1 mark. Although the task won’t be easy, as Houston faces the best team on this road-trip at their last stop, a matchup with the Golden State Warriors. Similar to Utah, Golden State has struggled lately, trying to adjust with Klay Thompson’s return to the lineup after a two-year absence. The Warriors have lost six of their last nine games. Houston will try and add to the Dubs’ misery as the Rockets try and prove that they’re worthy road warriors with a win in the Bay Area on Friday night.

Rockets Travel to Utah for Matchup with Slumping Jazz

Recipe for Disaster.    Stringing Two Together.    All In.

Houston, in a groove of sorts, has won two of their last three games to start their five-game road trip, which continues on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City. The Rockets will battle the sliding Jazz, who’ve lost five of their last six games overall. Utah is still in fourth place, only a game out of third in the West. But there’s no doubt they’ll be licking their chomps to feast on this young, inexperienced Houston team. In other words, tonight’s a recipe for disaster for the Rockets. Utah is one of the hardest places to play in the league, with arguably the most ruthless and audacious fans in the entire NBA. Salt Lake City isn’t as high as Denver, but the Jazz still play in high altitude, another factor opponents battle when playing in Utah. And losers of five of their last six, expect the Jazz to play hungrier than usual tonight. This game could be over in the first five minutes if Houston isn’t careful.

Since their seven-game winning streak (which feels like six months ago), the Rockets have failed to win consecutive games in a row. Houston has lost after every victory since their streak, and tonight’s matchup won’t be any easier. The Rockets do have the rest advantage, not having played since Sunday. Meanwhile, Utah played a late game in Los Angeles on Monday night, resulting in a hard-fought loss to the Lakers. Both teams are fairly healthy, and will have all their firepower tonight.

If Houston wants to pull off what would be their biggest upset of the season, they’re going to need to play with maximum effort, and leave it all on the floor. Everyone that sees court action for the Rockets needs to be all-in, playing with energy on a level comparable to Jae’Sean Tate and Garrison Matthews, who bounced back with a solid game in Houston’s win on Sunday. Utah’s Donovan Mitchell is having a career season, despite hardly being mentioned by the national media, and Rudy Gobert is once again one of the best rim protectors in the NBA for the Jazz. Those are Utah’s two primary damage-makers, but the Jazz have plenty of players who can hurt  opponents on the perimeter. Veteran point-guard Mike Conley has been a perfect fit since he joined Utah in 2019. Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles are two of the best sixth men in the league, with Clarkson winning the award last season. And Bojan Bogdanovic beat the Rockets on a buzzer-beating three a few seasons ago. Utah has all the of components assembled to play the right tune that results in a Jazz victory tonight… can Houston’s groovy Garry Bird and company derail the noise in unexpected fashion? Tune in tonight to find out.

 

Vivint Arena:  Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (13-32):  White

Utah Jazz (29-15):  Black “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  8 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Surge Past Kings, 118-112, Split Weekend Series

Clutch Scooting.    Cleared for Flight.    Spotlight Dominance.

Houston beat the Kings on Sunday, 118-112, earning a split in their Sacramento Weekend Series. The Rockets scored the first 13 points of the game, and held their biggest lead at 21-5 early in the contest. Hitting 9 of their first 13 shots helped Houston build an early edge, but they found themselves facing 5-point deficit at halftime. And entering the fourth quarter, Houston still trailed by 3 points. An 18-5 run helped Houston counter Sacramento’s comeback bid, and Eric Gordon hit a bucket with 8.5 seconds left (courtesy of the biggest rebound of the game by Jalen Green) that sealed the victory for the Rockets. Christian Wood co-led Houston with a monstrous double-double, recording 23 points and 14 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. also scored 23 points on 50% shooting from the floor, including some clutch buckets when the game was tight during crunch time. Buddy Hield was Sacramento’s biggest threat on the night, leading the Kings in scoring with 27 points.

The Kings closed the second and third quarters with dominant runs. Sacramento ended the first half on a 23-7 run to give them a 5-point lead entering the break. And the Kings closed the third period on a 13-4 run to earn a 3-point edge entering the final frame. Lucky for Houston, the air was cleared for flight, as Garry Bird returned with a vengeance after going scoreless in the two previous games. Garrison Matthews scored 17 points on 4-for-6 shooting from distance, and drew a few of his signature charges against the bulldozing opposition. It’s good to see Matthews back in form, as his energy is a key part of the Rockets maintaining momentum during games. Garry Bird can swing the game in Houston’s favor with a few plays on either end. Matthews’ relentless energy gets everyone from his teammates to the fans pumped up.  Garry Bird was a part of arguably the biggest play of the contest. With 8:14 remaining in the game, Matthews was karate chopped to the floor in malicious fashion by De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento’s best player. Fox was rightfully given a Flagrant-2 foul, and ejected from the game as a result. The Kings’ lacking Fox down the stretch hurt their offense, and paved the way for a Rockets comeback.

As the trade deadline gets closer, the two biggest names heard from the Rockets roster in rumors are Eric Gordon and Christian Wood. Both players continue to play well despite all the trade talk. EG hit another game-winning basket, and Wood further proved he’s a double-double machine with another dominant performance. Gordon’s been a Rocket for six seasons now, and Wood has All-Star caliber talent. Personally, I’d hate to see either player leave town, but it appears at least one of the two will be dealt before the trade deadline in February. Similar to these rare wins this season, appreciate Gordon and Wood while they’re still in Houston. If one or both guys eventually split ways with the squad, we won’t know until after the fact that they’ve played their last game in a Rocket uniform… so appreciate them while they’re still here.

Rockets Aim for Different Result, Face Kings in Rematch

Double Down.    Dangerous Duo.    Respecting the Bird.

It’s not exactly a golden ticket or the hottest show on the NBA calendar, but the Rockets face the Kings for the second straight game in Sacramento. Sunday’s matinee tip is a rematch of Friday night’s up-and-down tilt, a contest that slid in the Kings’ favor. Houston looks to improve in the rematch. They’ll need to do a better job containing De’Aaron Fox and especially Marvin Bagley. Bags had the game of his life on Friday, and if Houston doesn’t double down on Sacramento’s center, the Rockets could be in for more trouble on Sunday.

Fox and Bagley combined for 53 points on Friday night. Houston needs to make other Sacramento players beat them if they want a shot at winning the rematch. Alperen Sengun should be better after having a game under his belt after returning from an injury that caused him to miss seven games. Maybe an improved Sengun down low will make the difference? Christian Wood and Eric Gordon, Houston’s two hottest trade targets for other teams, have played well as they continue to boost their stock. The Rockets need a few other guys, besides Jae’Sean Tate, to join the exclusive “playing with a purpose” party. Tate’s been tremendous in the last couple of games, seemingly doing everything on both sides of the floor.

As the February 10th trade deadline gets nearer, Houston now has only one player on the entire roster who’s not eligible to be traded: Garrison Matthews. Garry Bird has struggled in the last two games, going scoreless over that stretch. Matthews will look to bounce back on Sunday, and prove he’s too important to be included in a deal. Regardless, Matthews didn’t sign his contract with the Rockets until December. Due to other players contractual restrictions or lack thereof, Garry Bird is the only player on the Rockets who fans can be 100% sure won’t be traded before the deadline.

It’s tough to beat the same team in back-to-back games. Houston is 1-1 in these situations after playing the same team in the previous game. The Rockets aim to improve that mark to 2-1, before they head off to close this road trip with two straight games against brutal competition, Utah and Golden State.

 

Golden 1 Center:  Sacramento, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (12-32):  Red

Sacramento Kings (18-27):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  5 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass