Month: December 2022

Rockets Spurt to the Alamo City for Matchup with Rival Spurs

Road Stop.    Beastin’ Eason.    Double-Edged Sword.

The Rockets hit the road one last time before Christmas, as they travel to face their in-state I-45 rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. For the first time since in a few seasons, San Antonio is are beneath Houston in the standings. The Spurs sit in last place in the Western Conference. They’re currently in the midst of an 11-game skid, the longest losing streak of Gregg Popovich’s career. The Rockets aim to stretch San Antonio’s sorrows to 12 game as a battle of the West’s bottom feeders takes place Thursday night in the Alamo City. However, take a look at the Rockets recent play, and you’ll see Houston isn’t playing like their record shows. This is a game the Rockets should win, and in the rare case, they actually are the slight favorite heading into tonight’s Texas Showdown. This is also the lone road game during this home-heavy stretch in Houston’s schedule. The Rockets have been a much better team at home opposed to the road so far this season. That trend needs to end tonight, as Houston’s lost three of their last four road games, having won only three away from Toyota Center all season. Thankfully after tonight, the Rockets play their next seven games at home.

Regardless of their record, The Spurs still has legendary coach  Popovich at the helm. San Antonio’s coach is arguably one of the best mentors the NBA’s ever seen. And while he doesn’t possess a talented group of players comparable to the Tim Duncan-Days, Pop still gets the most out of anyone he puts on the court. The Spurs will be ready to play hard tonight, and the Rockets need to follow Tari Eason’s energy, to ensure a letdown doesn’t ensue in the Alamo City tonight. Eason’s scored 19, 24, and 18 points in his last three games respectively, along with his token furious energy on the court. The rest of the Rockets need to follow suit. The Spurs traded away their best player, All-Star Dejounte Murray, who ironically started Houston’s fire after poking at Jabari Smith Jr., resulting in the Rockets storming back to shock Atlanta. Houston’s played with a different fire since that moment. This San Antonio team doesn’t have any household names at the moment, but Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell are slowly evolving into All-Stars, espclailly Johnson. The duo is Houston’s primary focus on defense tonight.

The key to Thursday night’s tilt is simple: avoid falling into an early hole. If the Rockets keep digging early deficits for themselves, they’re going to run out of energy before we reach the season’s halfway-mark. Comebacks are fun, but they’re difficult. Houston needs to quit toying with this double-edged sword habit. This road the Rockets have been traveling needs to stop. Tonight is the first matchup between these Texas rivals, and Houston has two days off coming into the San Antonio’s AT&T Center, aka the House Duncan Built. The Rockets should win tonight’s tilt, but they have a tendency to let complacency leak into their game plan. If Houston can carry the momentum from their infectiously exciting win over Philly on Monday, then opportunity awaits the Rockets… as they have a great chance to win on the road one last time before the holidays.

 

AT&T Center:  San Antonio, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (7-17):  Black

San Antonio Spurs: (6-18):  Turquoise

 

Tip-Off:  7:30 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Close Shave:  The Beard Returns, but Rockets Outlast Sixers, 132-123, in Double-OT Thriller

Greener on This Side.    Free Dessert.    Closing the Show.

Expectations were up in the air entering the Beard’s highly anticipated return to Houston, his first as a member of the Sixers. No one really knew what to expect coming into James Harden’s first trip to Houston with Philly. Entering Monday’s game, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see Harden go off for a token 50-point explosion, what seemed to be the norm, especially during his “Unstoppable Tour” in Houston. On the other hand, it wouldn’t have been shocking to see the Rockets pounce on the Sixers, and deal the Beard another loss in Houston, where he was the face of the franchise for almost a decade. From sports “experts”, to fans of both teams, to anyone with a passing interest in this “rivalry” of sorts, this matchup was a mystery entering tip-off. Jalen Green solved that mystery in a few hours, as Houston’s evolving superstar scored 27 points to lead the Rockets to a thrilling 132-123 victory over the 76ers in double overtime. This was Houston’s most impressive win of the season, and showed why they’re truly growing as players, not just in the “cliche” sense. The Rockets found themselves facing an early deficit for the fourth straight game. Houston trailed 10-0 before finally deciding to lace ‘em up and start playing. The ability to comeback from double-digit deficits is impressive and builds character, but in the long run, it’s draining. The Rockets have to change something about their pregame routine to be prepared from the opening tip. What that is, is up to the coaching staff and squad to solve. Comeback wins are always exciting, but the best teams don’t find themselves in early deficits often. Houston has to somehow figure out their first quarter anomaly, otherwise the Rockets will be playing comeback all season long.

Green finished with 27 points, despite struggling from long range, missing all seven of his threes. More importantly, Green locked up Harden defensively on a key isolation play late in the game, keeping Houston’s chances alive, and sending the game to overtime. The steady hand that’s become this team’s even-keeled leader, Kevin Porter Jr., had another solid effort, scoring 24 points on 50% shooting from three. Jabari Smith Jr. had another double-double, with 16 points and 11 boards, as the rookie’s comfort and talent continue to broaden with each game. Houston’s other rookie, Tari Eason, is showing why he might be steal of the draft. Eason was a defensive beast per usual, and chipped in an impressive 18 points along with 6 boards. The Rockets showed why they’re the best offensive rebounding team in basketball, bullying the bigger Sixers on the glass en route a 61-39 edge on the boards. Houston

Monday night’s matchup was Harden’s first game since missing 14 games due to an injury. The Beard hasn’t been the same player since he left the Rockets, seemingly digressing from Superstar to All-Star. Despite Eric Gordon being the lone player left during Harden’s tenure in Houston, others on the squad know the importance, and history, of Harden and the Rockets. It’s a love/hate affair in certain aspects, but both sides will always want to conquer the other. For Rockets fans, it’s sure nice to see a talented 20-year old blossoming into a superstar in his sophomore season, as opposed to being held hostage by, an aging, graying 33-year old Beard. Harden’s still shows flashes of his brilliance when he was a Rocket, but those moments are few are far between. The Beard score 21 points and had 7 assists. Good numbers for an average player. Subpar stats for a former superstar. Philly still has Joel Embiid as their Alpha Dog, and the Rockets survived his monstrous 39-point, 7 rebound night. Houston also dodged a red-hot Tobias Harris, who made 7 of his 8 threes en route to a 27-point night. This was the first overtime game for Houston, as the Rockets got their first taste of free dessert, and it certainly settled well. In particular the second scoop, or overtime, was delicious, as Jalen Green and co. outscored the 76ers 15-6 to close the game. Houston had plenty of close games early in the season, but they couldn’t close or finish in the clutch. Now, the Rockets are learning on the go how to finish and close NBA games. As they say in life… it’s not how you start, but how you finish that matters most. Houston led 95-86 with a little under 10 minutes in regulation. Despite Philly’s comeback, the Rockets didn’t cave, as Houston went toe-to-toe with the Sixers, out-dueling Philly in two extra periods. Houston didn’t lose their composure and played hard, smart basketball to earn the win. Impressive considering the Rockets of 15 games ago would’ve lost this game. Stephen Silas needs to be given more credit, as he’s steered the team from cooking up a worse season than last year. We’re still not even halfway though the season, but this Rocket team is already showing huge signs of growth and improvement early on this season.

After a rough 3-13 start to the season, Houston is now 4-3 over their past seven games. They sacrificed as team to make the right plays at the right time. Forget about the record, this team is feeling like a real NBA team now. The air just feels different in Toyota Center. It’s like the squad finally escaped a dark cloud that had been hovering over the first quarter of the season. Rockets fans will reminisce, ponder from time to time, about the days when the Beard came so close to taking Houston to a Championship. Monday night’s thriller showed fans why expectations are rising in the air for these Rockets… they may not be too far from the anticipated promised land, the Green-er side.

Rockets Return Home, Host Sixers in Harden’s Philly Debut at Toyota Center

The Return (Remixed).    Flash Gordon to Past Gordon.    Light the Fuse.

After a brutal four-game road-trip, the Rockets finally head back to Houston to host the Philadelphia 76ers. All wasn’t bad on the trip, as the Rockets got their best win of the season in Phoenix amidst a triplet of blowout losses. Houston now enters a stretch where they play eight of the next nine games at their comfortable lair, the Toyota Center. The Rockets have played almost twice as many road games (15) compared to home games this season (8), so this is a much-needed home-stand coming up for Houston. The Sixers have been an average team so far this season. Philly’s dropped their last two games, putting their record at 12-11. They have Joel Embiid, one of the league’s most dominant big men. Embiid had 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists in Philly’s previous game. If Houston wants any chance, they need Alperen Sengun, Bruno Fernando, Tari Eason, and others to step up to the challenge.

The Sixers also have some guy named James Harden, The Beard makes only his third return to Houston since departing nearly two years ago. This is the first time Harden is facing the Rockets in a Sixers uniform, as the previous two appearances came during his brief tenure with the Brooklyn Nets. Harden is also returning from an injury, and playing only his tenth game of the season tonight. He hasn’t been the dominant player who once held his own “Unstoppable Tour” in Houston, but no doubt Harden is ready to feast on his former team. The Beard is still more than capable of having a vintage “Rockets Harden” game on any night. Houston has to hope he’s rusty, and force him into turnover-prone possessions.

Eric Gordon is the lone member remaining from the Harden days. Being the second half of a back-to-back, EG sat out Houston’s loss to Golden State. Expect Gordon to have a prime performance echoing his Flash Gordon and Splash Gordon days. EG’s numbers, and enthusiasm have dropped the past two seasons. His name is swirling in trade rumors, and Gordon likely will be dealt to a contender before the deadline. Just like Harden, Gordon wants to prove he’s still got some gas left in the tank. Don’t be surprised if the former teammates are two of the headliners after tonight’s contest.

The Rockets need to take advantage of this home-heavy stretch coming up in their schedule. Philly is a solid basketball team, but Tyrese Maxey has been injured and Harden is making his return in only his tenth game tonight. They haven’t been at full strength, and Houston is more than capable of dealing the Sixers their third straight loss tonight. As they return to Toyota Center after a four-game trip out West… the Rockets will seek to shave Philly’s chances, and get their fourth home win of the season on Monday night. 

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Philadelphia 76ers (12-11):  Blue

Houston Rockets (6-17):  White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Slow Start Dooms Rockets in 120-101 Loss to Warriors

One for the Road.    Not This Time.    Snake-Bit from Three.

From the opening tip, the Rockets were in trouble in the Bay Area, a familiar place Houston’s ventured over the past decade. Despite having no Klay Thompson, the Warriors had no problems taking care of the Rockets on Saturday night. The Warriors staved off a late Houston comeback attempt to runaway with a 120-101 victory, dealing the Rockets another road defeat. Andrew Wiggins had his best game of the season, leading the Warriors with 36 points on a red-hot 14-for-19 shooting from the floor, including a career-high 8 three-pointers. Stephen Curry chipped in with 30 points to plunge the any hopes of a Rocket-comeback. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 20 points, but only made one his nine three-point attempts. Jalen Green struggled once mightily, scoring only 13 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Tari Eason was one of the few bright spots for the Rockets. His best two games have both come against Golden State. Eason secured a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and ignited Houston’s comeback attempt early in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets trailed 13-2 early in this contest to begin another dangerous quest of trying to accomplish a comeback win. Unlike in Phoenix, the Houston wasn’t able to overcome their early deficiencies. The Rockets trailed by as many as 25 points, 52-27, in the second quarter. Tari Eason and the Goon Squad fueled a valiant comeback attempt for Houston, cutting the massive deficit to only four, with the score 100-96 and around six and half minutes remaining the game. But once Curry and Wiggins checked back into the game, the rest was history. Golden State outscored the Rockets 20-5 in the final 6:30 of the game to put Houston’s hopes of another impressive road win to rest. The Rockets managed only 5 points in the final six minutes of the game, and couldn’t buy a basket as the Warriors ran away with a late victory, extending their NBA-best home record to 11-1.

Despite the early deficit, and the fact the squad ran out of gas late against Golden State, the Rockets still played hard. But they’ve got to avoid getting off to these slow starts. They’re killing Houston’s chances of winning games. It’s tough to play come-from-behind in the NBA, especially when you’re a young team like the Rockets. What really ended any hopes Houston had at winning in the Bay Area on Saturday night was the three-point line. The Rockets were outscored by a whopping 66 points from beyond the arc, as Curry and Wiggins had 8 threes apiece. As a team, Houston was snake-bit from three. The Rockets shot a miserable 3-for-28 from three-point land, equivalent to 10%. You’re not going to win many games shooting that percentage from the NBA’s promise land. Meanwhile, the Warriors shot 25-for-52 from deep, good for 48% from beyond the arc. The three point discrepancies and the early deficit was Houston’s downfall on Saturday night. Up next, the Rockets finally gets a nice home stretch. Eight of the Rockets next nine games are back home in Houston, at the friendly confines of Toyota Center. And on Monday night they’ll be seeing the return of a very familiar face (and beard)… as James Harden makes his return to H-Town for only the third time since his ugly departure nearly two years ago. For almost a decade, Harden dominated opponents in a Rockets uniform. The new kids will try and give the Beard a taste of his own medicine as they return home on Monday night.

Rockets Ride into the Bay Area for Matchup with Warriors

Night and Day.    Ready to Go.    Draymond Mean.

After shocking the Suns with a 122-121 victory in Phoenix, the Rockets travel to the Bay Area to battle the NBA’s best home team, the Golden State Warriors. The Dubs are 10-1 at home while playing in the friendly confines of the Chase Center. On the road however, Golden State is only a dismal 2-10. The game’s location has truly been a night-and-day difference for how the Warriors have performed to begin the season. Golden State is playing better since their first matchup with Houston, back on November 20th. Since that contest, which saw Klay Thompson explode for 41 points, the Warriors are 4-2, and slowly climbing back up the Western Conference standings. Both teams are coming off a back-to-back, with the Warriors defeating the Chicago Bulls in the Bay Area last night. Which means, luckily for Houston, they won’t see Klay Thompson tonight, who rests on the second night of a back-to-back for Golden State, which has been their protocol all season.

Even though the Rockets won’t have to endure another 41-point outburst from Klay, the Warriors still have plenty of players to give Houston headaches on Saturday night. Stephen Curry is averaging 31 points a game. Andrew Wiggins is having another brilliant season with Golden State, as the Warriors have seemed to be a perfect fit for him after they acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jordan Poole will likely take on much of the offensive load in place of Klay Thompson tonight. As difficult the task, Houston has to contain Poole and Wiggins, and hope Curry doesn’t explode for a 40 or 50-point effort. Most importantly the Rockets can’t get off to a slow start. If Houston isn’t ready to go from the opening tip, they don’t have a chance against a veteran, experienced Warriors team. Last night’s comeback took a lot of energy and heart, and the squad will need that from the get-go to avoid playing from behind against the Dubs.

Expect the usual antics from Draymond Green, who’s been a pest to opponents since he entered the league. Houston is coming off their best win of the season, a complete team effort. Hopefully, they’re not too pleased with themselves, or they could be in trouble early in the Bay. The Rockets have to be the tougher and meaner team if they want to upset Golden State on Saturday night. Houston has to win the hustle battle, and can’t afford to allow the Warriors to get too hot from beyond the arc. Despite the odds, the Rockets weren’t expected to beat the Suns last night. Before Friday night’s Shocker in the Valley, the Suns were 12-1 playing in Phoenix. Houston will try and replicate what they did last night and upset one of the best home team’s in the league. It won’t be easy, but the Rockets handed the Suns only their second home loss of the season last night… they’ll try and do that again on Saturday night against the defending Champs.

 

Chase Center:  San Francisco, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (6-16):  Red

Golden State Warriors (12-11):  Blue

 

Tip-Off:  7:30 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Storm Back to Shock Suns, 122-121, Survive Thriller in Phoenix

Third Quarter Charm.    Green Sunset.    Statement Game.

After two tough losses in Denver to start their four-game road trip, Houston entered Phoenix as heavy underdogs. Jalen Green also made his entrance into the Valley of the Sun with something to prove. Green had arguably the best game of his career. Houston’s budding superstar scored 30 points en route to leading the Rockets to a 122-121 upset over the Suns in the Desert. The victory was by far Houston’s most impressive so far this season, as they beat the top seed in the West, and snapped Phoenix’s six game winning streak. Jalen Green led the Rockets with 30 points. Jabari Smith Jr. continues to play consistently well after a rough first 15 games to the season. Jabari had 17 points on 7-for 12 shooting (including 3-for-5 from three-point land), 6 rebounds, and is having a more visceral and aggressive impact on each game as the season continues to roll on. Bruno Fernando had the best game of his career. Fernando scored 14 points on 7-for-8 shooting (mainly dunks via Daishen Nix) in only 14 minutes. More importantly, he finished the game on Houston’s closest, most exciting game of the season. Usually Alperen Sengun would be out their in a close contest, but Fernando’s performance earned him more playing time than usual. It also bodes well for the big man’s chances of seeing more court time the rest of the season.

Despite the positive result when the final buzzer sounded, after the opening tip it appeared Houston was on their way to another blowout loss on the road courtesy of an elite team. Comparable to Wednesday in Denver, the Rockets got off to a slow start on Friday night. Houston trailed 12-2 early in the first period before spurting out a 15-7 run that kept them within striking distance after the one quarter, trailing 36-27. After an even-keeled second period, Houston trailed by 7 points at halftime. But it was the third period that really showed the Rockets’ growth as a young team as we’re finally into the second quarter of the season. Houston trailed by as many as 16 points with around 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. Luckily for the Rockets, Jalen Green was angry, and had the game of his life. After being beaten down in Denver and struggling, Green seemed to grow up overnight. He scored 20 of Houston’s 29 points in the third period to get the squad back in the game. Green also attacked the basket with ferocity. H-Town’s superstar-in-the-making shot a career-high 16 free throws, tying his career best of 12 made freebies in a game. The squad as a whole had a whopping 43 free throw attempts, as their aggressiveness was on full display. Most notably in the second half when they mounted their impressive comeback road victory.

These gritty Rockets trailed by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, 101-88, but Bruno Fernando, Daishen Nix, and a host of guys who don’t usually make the biggest contributions, had their best games of the season respectively. Nix and Fernando developed chemistry in the second quarter that rolled over into the final frame. This was an all around team effort from the Rockets. Houston shot a blistering 13-for-19 from the field in final period. Even though Jalen Green receives the majority of the credit, Houston doesn’t win in Phoenix without everyone buying in to the game plan And everyone on the roster was on ready to play last night. The Rockets even withstood a 41-point explosion from Devin Booker, who narrowly missed winning the game at the buzzer. The Suns had a great chance at victory on the final possession. The Rockets led by only a point, and the Suns had 28 seconds remaining. Green played the best one-on-one defense I’ve witnessed in his career, forcing Booker to take a tough shot, that rattled out. After a few missed tip-ins from the Suns, the Rockets regained the ball only to turn it over to Phoenix again with  less than 5 seconds remaining. Phoenix found Booker for a wide open shot at the free throw line, that just fell short, and the Rockets survived their most impressive win of the season.

This was by far Houston’s most impressive win of the season. Coming off two devastating losses to start this brutal road trip, the Rockets came into the hottest team in the league’s house, traded blows, and got the scrappy win. In a similar manner to how contenders win close games. Houston showed real signs of maturity and growth in their chemistry, effort, and decision making. Stephen Silas even showed progress as a young coach by trusting his gut, and playing Fernando in the waning seconds of a game when Bruno’s used to being a seat warmer in those situations. Friday night;’s statement win proved many things: Jalen Green is going to be a superstar sooner than expected. After a slow start, inquiries about Jabari Smith Jr. being a bust, and inconsistencies early on, the Rockets showed why they picked Smith Jr. on draft night. Jabari is the real deal, and is already showing All-Star potential a quarter into the season.

Up next, the Rockets travel to the Bay Area to face Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Golden State won the previous game in Houston. The lasting memory from that contest was Curry “putting the Rockets to sleep” after he mimicked falling asleep, while taunting the crowd after sealing the game with a big shot. That, and Klay Thomson exploding for 41 points. Along with Houston, the Warriors are playing their second straight game, after beating the Chicago Bulls, 119-111, last night at home. This means Klay Thompson won’t be suiting up tonight, as Golden State’s protocol is to avoid playing Thompson two days in a row. Other than their win in Houston earlier this season, the Dubs have only one more road win for a total of two on the season. That’s even less than the Rockets, who secured their third road win of the season impressively in Phoenix. And once again, Houston enters Saturday night as heavy underdogs against the Warriors. But if last night proved anything… underdogs or not, these Rockets always have a chance.

Rockets Aim to Cool Off Streaking Suns in Phoenix

From Second to First.    Another One in the Books.    Entering the Fire.

Houston makes their third stop on this brutal road trip in Phoenix to take on the red-hot Suns on Friday night. Phoenix has won six straight games, including seven of their last eight contests, with the lone loss coming by one point on the road to Utah. After winning two straight to end their home-stand over the past weekend, Houston has dropped the first two games (both in Denver), to the Nuggets in their current four-game road trip, arguably their toughest of the entire season. After playing the second seed out West in the Nuggets, Houston now gets the early Christmas treat of playing the Suns, the top team in the conference. And tomorrow, the Rockets travel to the Bay Area to battle the defending champion Warriors on Saturday, in the back-half of back-to-back, and the Rockets third game in four nights. Houston needs a dire sense of urgency if they want to steal one of these next two games to close out this road-trip.

Phoenix has been without Chris Paul for the last eleven games due to an injury. It hasn’t hampered their play, as evidenced by their current winning streak. Most importantly, CP3’s absence has allowed one of the NBA’s most lethal scores, Devin Booker, to get let loose. In Phoenix’s previous game, Booker was scored a whopping 51 points, efficiently shooting 20-for-25 from the floor. He didn’t even play in the fourth quarter, as the Suns had no problem putting away the Chicago Bulls, 132-113, in their previous game on Wednesday. The Rockets obviously have their hands full trying to contain Devin Booker. His 51-point night was no anomaly coming from a man who once scored 70 points in an NBA game. Booker will obviously be the main focal point for Houston’s defense, and keeping him under 30 points would be respectable for the squad. They’ve got to make other Phoenix players do damage, the problem for the Rockets is, the Suns have plenty of tools in their arsenal to devastate opponents.  De’Andre Ayton is a beast in the pain who will give Alperen Sengun and other Houston big men headaches tonight. Ayton’s coming off a 30-point, 14-board performance in the Suns’ last game. Mikal Bridges will also give the Rockets fits on the perimeter. The lengthy three point shooter and scrappy defender is one of most underrated players in the league. Another reason Phoenix hasn’t missed a beat with CP3 missing close to a dozen games.

The Rockets hope that mark turns to a dozen, as Houston will need all the help they can muster as they enter the fire this weekend. Back-to-backs are always tough, but especially on the road against elite competition. For a young team, these next two games will be the ultimate test of the Rockets’ maturity, growth, and evolution through this first quarter of the season. We are now officially 21 games into the season, and Houston has had one of the toughest schedules so far to start the year. It’s no excuse, but the Rockets need some wins if they want to avoid falling behind the rest of the pack, left solemnly holding the league’s worst mark for themselves. With a record of 5-16… maybe Houston will catch some much-needed heat as they square off against the NBA’s hottest team tonight.

 

Footprint Center: Phoenix, Arizona

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (5-16):  Red

Phoenix Suns (15-6):  Turquoise

 

Tip-Off:  8:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Denver Demolition:  Slow Start Dooms Rockets in 120-100 Loss to Nuggets

Rocky Start.    Transitional Adjustments.    Moving On.

Well, part two of the Rockets mini-series in Denver didn’t go exactly as the squad had planned. Houston never led, and trailed by as many as 33 points as they lost to the Nuggets for the second straight time, 120-100, on Wednesday night. Jamal Murray scored 26 points to lead Denver’s route, while Nikola Jokic provided 17 points, 12 assists, and 9 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Alperen Sengun had another solid game as well for Houston, registering another double-double with 18 points and 11 boards. Jalen Green continued to struggle with his shot, as it seems the altitude really hampered Green’s performance. Green scored 16 points, and only connected one of his seven attempts from long range.

Houston was never in this game. They trailed by 13-2 to start the contest, then went on a little run to inspire false hope, as the Rockets trimmed Denver’s lead to 3 points, trailing only 20-17 midway through the first quarter. However, that was the closest Houston would get in this matchup. The Nuggets went on a devastating 27-4 run to close the quarter, leading by 20 points after the first period. The Rockets would see that lead swell to a 27 point deficit at the half. Houston played with more urgency in the second half, but it was too little too late, as the Rockets couldn’t climb out of the early first quarter hole they dug themselves. Jabari Smith Jr. continues to shoot the ball efficiently, scoring 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting. The rookie needs more looks at the basket, and his teammates need to focus on finding him the ball when he’s coming off screens on the perimeter. Houston’s improving in this area, and will mesh with Jabari’s bag of tricks as the season moves along.

Speaking of moving along, the Rockets need to wipe these last two games from their memory. It doesn’t get any easier for the squad, as they head to Phoenix to take on the Suns, who are currently first in the Western Conference. The next night they’ll head to the Bay Area to face to improving Golden State Warriors, who got off to a rough start, but have slowly began their climb back up the standings. It’s arguably the toughest back-to-back Houston will endure all season. Hopefully, they can steal one of the next two matchups. Taking both would be pretty shocking, to the league, and Rockets fans. It’s not impossible… but the plan is to secure at least one win over this upcoming brutal double-header.

Rockets Aim for Different Results in Rocky Rematch with Nuggets

Rematch Time.    Quarter Mark.    Sharing a Laugh.

“We’re destined to do this forever,” the Joker says in the iconic 2008 film, The Dark Knight. The Rockets are trying to avoid another dark night in Denver as they play the Nuggets for the second straight game. Houston’s “Little Joker”, Alperen Sengun, stood up well against the real “Joker”, Nikola Jokic. Notably in the first half, where the two talented big-men went toe-to-toe before Jokic took over the second half and led the Nuggets to victory. It’s rare in the NBA schedule for a team to play the same opponent twice in a row. Since COVID, this has been a trend. Reducing travel costs and other conveniences, but it’s hard to beat the same team twice in a row, regardless of their record. The Rockets will hope that trend plays in their favor of Wednesday night.

Tonight’s matchup marks the quarter point of the season officially for Houston. the Rockets will have played 21 games after tonight, and are on pace for 20 wins this season. Although expect more victories as the schedule eases up during the second half of the season. Houston would love to close the first quarter of this campaign with a victory over one of the NBA’s best teams, and get some revenge for Monday night’s loss. The Rockets are 5-15, looking searching for that elusive sixth victory of the season.

Expect more of the same tonight, as the two Jokers will go head-to-head in what certainly will once again be the matchup to watch in tonight’s contest. Sengun has no fear going up against the two-time reigning MVP. It’s matter of receiving necessary support from his teammates. His comrades Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and the rest of the squad need to prevent Jamal Murray from having another 30-point night, and also help out in the battle of the bigs down low, who despite the competition, will likely share a laugh or two. After all, as we witnessed on Monday night, until their careers are over… these two are destined to face-off forever.

 

Ball Arena:  Denver, Colorado

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (5-15):  Black

Denver Nuggets (13-7):  White

 

Tip-Off:  8:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Lose Steam in Second Half, Fall to Nuggets, 129-113, in Denver

Hateful Eight.    Second Half Struggles.    The Big Bad Jokers.

Aleperen Sengun, aka “Little Joker”, held his own against his “idol”, back-to-back MVP Nikola “The Joker” Jokic on Monday night, to begin Houston’s four-game west coast trip. Seungun led the Rockets in scoring with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Jokic and Jamal Murray combined to score 63 points on 65% shooting overall to ensure Houston had no chance of pulling the upset. As a result, Denver dealt the Rockets a 129-113 defeat on Monday night. The Rockets stood toe-to-toe with the Nuggets in the first half, trailing by only two points entering the break, However, the Rockets lacked fire coming out of the break, and scored only five more points in the second half than they registered in the entire first quarter alone. Houston needs to come out strong after halftime on Wednesday night, as these teams square off-again in Denver. The third quarter will arguably once again be the key, as the Rockets have often struggled playing out of the break, especially if they’re too comfortable, (aka the game is close or they have the lead).

On Monday, Jokic was perfect in the third period. The Joker went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, and didn’t need to even score in the fourth quarter, as the Nuggets pulled away with a 10-1 run to close the third quarter. As mentioned previously, Sengun, aka, “Little Joker” led Houston with 18 points, but he contributed only 3 points in the Rockets dismal second half. Other than Jalen Green, who had another off-shooting night, going 5-for-15 from the field for 17 points, Houston didn’t shoot the ball poorly in this matchup. The Rockets shot 45.9% from the floor, and an above average, but not great, 36.4% from three-point range. After a string of three consecutive solid games, Jabari was somewhat underwhelming. The rookie needed to be more aggressive on Monday. Jabari took only four shots, and made three of them. Obviously, Denver’s bigger lineup and physicality is a part of the NBA game that Houston’s promising rookie is still adjusting too. Look for Smith Jr. to receive more opportunities as these squads battle again in the rematch on Wednesday night. The Rockets need him to contribute like he did this past weekend if Houston wants to end their dreadful eight-game skid to the Nuggets.

The Big Bad Joker. The back-to-back reining MVP. Nikola Jokic is the real deal, and he proved it once again on Monday night, albeit with much-needed assistance from Jamal Murray. Both players put on 11-for-17 shooting displays, and if the Rockets want any chance of taking Part 2 of this mini-series, they need to contain Denver’s lethal duo. Houston needs to make the rest of the Nuggets beat them. Whether it’s Aaron Gordon, Ish Smith, or Zeke Nnaji (someone most people have never head of) rising from the dead, and having the best game of his life. Nnaji scored 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting in only 18 minutes of action on Monday, third in scoring behind Jokic and Murray. Well, up next these teams hit the hardwood for a rematch on Wednesday night. Same place, Denver’s Ball Arena. Hopefully, the Rockets have had some time to acclimate with the altitude… and possibly shock the Nuggets in the rematch of the NBA’s “Jokers.”