Month: February 2025

Rockets Host Wemby-Less Spurs in Series Finale

I-10 Finale.    New-Look Rivals.    Second Act Improvement.

The Houston Rockets resume action on Wednesday night as they host the San Antonio Spurs. Tonight’s matchup is the season series finale between these I-10 rivals. Houston is coming off a win at home over the Milwaukee Bucks last night. San Antonio lost to the Pelicans in New Orleans last night, as the Spurs are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. Tonight, the Rockets are trying to win consecutive games for the first time after the All-Star break.

San Antonio has a new-look roster, as they acquired star point guard De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline. However, the Spurs will be without young star Victor Wembanyama, who was shut down for the the season due to a blood clot injury. Fred VanVleet will remain out for Houston once again. Tari Eason is also expected to sit out, as this game is the second of a back-to-back.

The Rockets will try and improve on their 5-8 record on zero days of rest. Houston has struggled in the second act of back-to-backs all season. However, competing at home, and against a team that also played last night, the Rockets should be able to pull out the victory against their in-state rivals.

Tonight’s tilt is also a nationally televised game, as the contest will be broadcast on ESPN as well as local networks. Houston won their first nationally televised game on Friday with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The squad will look to shine in the bright lights of the national spotlight once again, as they have a great opportunity to earn a victory at home tonight.

It was recently announced that legendary Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich won’t be returning this season and his future with the NBA is in jeopardy due to his health. Pop’s done enough for the game, as Ime Udoka is one of his many disciples from his large coaching tree.

As long as the Rockets don’t overlook these Wemby-less Spurs, Houston should be in line for another victory tonight. However, if the proceedings get close near the end of the game, the Rockets could be in trouble, as Chris Paul and the newly acquired Fox are tow of the league’s best crunch time players. Houston is due for a blowout win… hopefully it will be tonight.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

San Antonio Spurs (24-32):  Black

Houston Rockets (36-22):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  8:30 PM CT

TV:  ESPN,  Space City Home Network

Rockets Outlast Bucks, 100-97, for Narrow Victory

Home-Cooking.    Duo-Ing It Again.    Another Thriller.

Houston returned home victorious, as they outlasted the Milwaukee Bucks, 100-97, on Tuesday night. With the win, the Rockets improved to 19-9 at home, compared to 17-13 on the road. As with most games this season for Houston, the squad found themselves in another tight contest late, but managed to fend-off the Bucks for the win. After building a five point lead after the first quarter, the Rockets allowed Milwaukee to score 34 points in the second quarter, which saw Houston facing a two-point deficit at halftime. However, the Rockets bucked down defensively in the second half, as they allowed the Bucks to score only 38 points, including a stifling fourth quarter where Houston held Milwaukee to a mere 12 points. The Rockets struggled in the final quarter as well, scoring only 15 points, but it was enough for the victory.

As has been the case since the All-Star break, Houston was led by their star duo of Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green. Sengun register another double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 boards. Green added 25 points and 8 rebounds, as he continues to play at a consistent level since returning from the break. Amen Thompson was brilliant defensively, and had 9 points and rebounds apiece. However, Twin was ejected late with roughly five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter for a flagrant foul penalty two on Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. The play didn’t seem to necessitate any suspension, so Thompson should be available for Houston’s next game on Wednesday night.

The Rockets held the NBA’s top scoring duo, in Giannis and Damian Lillard, below their scoring average. The superstar duo still scored 49 points, but their average is in the mid 50’s, so Houston did a solid job. The Rockets still had some very poor turnovers early and late in the contest that almost cost them the game. Houston’s free throw shooting was better from the previous game, as the Rockets went 14-for-18 from the foul line. Unless these teams meet in the NBA Finals, this is the last time Houston will face Milwaukee this season, and the Rockets managed to tie which was a very exciting season series (the Bucks won the first matchup by only one point in another thriller) with the win on Tuesday night.

Up next for Houston, the Rockets will turn around and play another game at Toyota Center tomorrow (Wednesday) night. This time, the I-10 rival San Antonio Spurs come to town for the series finale. Hopefully, the Rockets can finally manage to win the second part of a back-to-back against what will be a Wemby-less Spurs team on Wednesday night.

Rockets Welcome Bucks to Town for Tuesday Night Tilt

Toyota Pair: Part One.    Home, Sweet Home.    Battle of Fifths.   

Ending an odd stretch in the schedule, the Rockets prepare to host a pair of home games as the squad readies for their fourth consecutive set of back-to-back games. First up, Houston hosts the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. The Rockets are coming off a disappointing loss in Utah to the Jazz on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Milwaukee has been rolling, as the Bucks enter this matchup riding a four-game winning streak. Milwaukee acquired Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton at the trade deadline, and so far the deal has been paying dividends for the Bucks.

After starting the season pretty equally at home and on the road, it’s become clear of late: Houston is a much better team playing at home at the Toyota Center. The Rockets are 18-9 at home this season, compared to 17-13 on the road. Houston is also looking for revenge after losing a thrilling one-point nail-biter to the Bucks in the first matchup between these teams, back on November 8th in Milwaukee. It was also the game that ended the Bucks season-high losing streak, and essentially helped turn their season around after a disastrous start.

This matchup is also a battle of fifth place teams in their respective conferences. While the Bucks have climbed up for a tie for the fourth and fifth spot in the East, the Rockets have fallen all the way from second to fifth place in the West. And if Houston can’t turn their fortune around soon, they could be in jeopardy of slipping into a Play-In spot (seeds seven through ten), and having their season end much quicker than anticipated.

Tonight, the Rockets will still be without Fred VanVleet, but Houston proved they could beat a solid opponent when they took down the Timberwolves at Toyota Center on Friday night. The Bucks boast the NBA’s most explosive offensive duo in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Both players have been Rocket-Killers throughout their careers, but especially Lillard. If the Rockets come ready to play, they should be able to hang with the Bucks, and eventually dispose of them as they did to the Wolves on Friday night. Houston is 13-2 with two or more rest days entering a matchup… so at least expect a more valiant effort from the Rockets, and another thrilling chapter in what’s been an exciting season.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Milwaukee Bucks (32-24):  Green

Houston Rockets (35-22):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall Apart in Utah, Suffer 124-115 Loss to Jazz

Out of Sorts.    The Unforgiving Stripe.    Road Worriers.

Houston built a six-point lead at halftime, and even led by three points entering the fourth quarter. However, even against a bad Utah team, it wasn’t enough, as the Rockets lost to the Jazz, 124-115, on Saturday night. Houston was just out of sorts in Salt Lake City. Keyonte George scored 30 points off Utah’s bench to lead the Jazz. George even managed to outscore Houston’s entire bench. Other than Jeff Green, who was once again brilliant in limited action, the Rockets had no production from their bench. Green scored a season-high 16 points, and single-handedly kept Houston ahead in the third quarter.

In another waisted dominant performance, Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Jalen Green added 25 points and 10 assists. Amen Thompson chipped in 22 points and 9 boards, but the moral of this story is: Houston is sorely missing Fred VanVleet. With this loss, the Rockets are now 3-6 without FVV. Why is VanVleet so critical to Houston’s success? He’s the floor leader, and veteran who keeps the Rockets poised in crunch time. His value may not always show up in the stat sheet, but Houston is really suffering without their quarterback on the court. VanVleet is supposedly nearing a return, and the Rockets need him back sooner than later before they fall further down the Western Conference standings.

After starting the season as road warriors, Houston has turned into road worriers. The Rockets have now lost six consecutive games away from Toyota Center. And they won’t get another chance until they hit the road to play only the best team in the conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder. So there’s a very high chance this road skid moves to seven games in a row. Hopefully Houston can take advantage of their upcoming three game home-stand. But they’ll need to shoot the ball better from the charity stripe if they want to regain their earlier season success. The Rockets shot a dismal 10-for-18 from the free throw line against the Jazz. The charity stripe has become very unforgiving for Houston, it’s been one of the weaknesses all season.

The Rockets are now 5-8 in the second half of back-to-backs this season. The good news is, Houston has two days off before their next game, and the Rockets are 13-2 this season when they have two or more days of rest. They’ll need it, as another back-to-back awaits them at Toyota Center… first with a matchup against the East’s rising Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.

Rockets Head to Utah for First Matchup with Jazz

Quick Trip.    First Dip.    Avoiding the Trap.

The Rockets head over to Salt Lake City for a quick one game road trip on Saturday night, as they battle the Utah Jazz. Tonight’s matchup is the first meeting this season between these old Western rivals. Both Houston and Utah played last night, so neither team has the rest advantage entering this tilt. The Rockets are coming off an impressive home win over the Timberwolves last night. Meanwhile, the Jazz lost in blowout fashion at home courtesy of the dominant Oklahoma City Thunder.

Houston is 35-21 on the season, still in fourth place in the Western Conference, and only two games in the loss column behind the Memphis Grizzlies and the Denver Nuggets. Utah has been yo-yoing with the New Orleans Pelicans for last place in the West. The Jazz currently sport a 13-42 record, good for 14th place in the conference. Despite their record, Utah still has talented players, and if the Rockets overlook the Jazz, Houston could be in line for another disappointing defeat. One along the lines of the poor stretch of play the Rockets exhibited entering the All-Star break, as Houston lost seven of their previous nine games before the intermission.

Utah has several players Houston’s defense needs to contain. Former All-Star Lauri Markannen can drop 30 or more points on any given night. John Collins led the Jazz with 26 points in their last game. Jordan Clarkson is also capable of providing a scoring boost, and Walker Kessler is coming off a 19-rebound performance in the last game for Utah. And Keyonte George added 20 points off the bench as well. Basically, the Jazz have plenty of individual weapons, they just don’t add up to a good team. Utah is very young, and they’re still fully in rebuilding mode after superstar Donovan Mitchell left to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers a few years ago.

Coming into their first meeting with the Jazz this season, the Rockets will be extra short-handed. Besides Fred VanVleet, who’s still out due to an ankle injury, Steven Adams, Tari Eason, and Jae’Sean Tate will all miss tonight’s contest as well. Despite all the injuries, Houston will look to make quick work of an inferior Utah team, and stay undefeated after the All-Star break.

 

Delta Center:  Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (35-21):  White

Utah Jazz (13-42):  Purple

 

Tip-Off:  8:30 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Outlast Timberwolves, 121-115, to Begin Stretch Run

Back in Action.    Green Machine.    Finishing Touches.

Houston’s season reboot started on Friday night with an impressive 121-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. After building an early 14 point edge, the Rockets basically led this game by around three points for the majority of the contest. Jalen Green scored 35 points to lead a balanced offensive attack for Houston. Alperen Sengun scored 24 points and grabbed 13 boards, and Amen Thompson added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets. And Houston withstood a 37 point performance from Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, who scored only three points in the fourth quarter against the Rockets’ stiflingly defense. Green went toe-to-toe against Edwards, scoring only two less points, yet on an impressive eight less shot attempts. 

After struggling to close games before the All-Star break, Houston managed to put the finishing touches on this matchup, as the Rockets ended the game on a 9-2 run to earn the victory. The win also makrs Houston’s first nationally televised (excluding NBA TV) victory of the season, as the game was also telecast on ESPN. After the squad’s early success, the NBA tweaked the schedule to add a few more national tv games for the Rockets as we march into the playoff-push portion of the season.

In his return from a 22 game absence due to a hand injury, Jabari Smith Jr. contributed an impressive 15 points and 9 rebounds in 38 minutes, whilst coming off the bench for the first time in his entire career. And despite playing as a reserve, Bari played like he didn’t miss a beat. Smith Jr. was an efficient 4-for-6 from beyond the arc and made his presence felt on the defensive boards. With Fred VanVleet still out due to injury, it’s uncertain what Houston’s the starting lineup will look once everyone is healthy. Head Coach Ime Udoka has some tough decisions on his hands. He can either go back to the original starting lineup, and bring Thompson off the bench, or Bari can be the Sixth Man. Regardless, it’s unlikely Green, Senegun, FVV, or Dillon Brooks loses their starting spot, due to the nature of their specific intangibles needed for the Rockets when beginning games.

Up next, Houston will travel to Salt Lake City tomorrow night to battle the Utah Jazz. It’s the first of three matchups this season between these old Western Conference rivals. The Jazz and yo-yoing with the New Orleans Pelicans for last place in the standings out West. Despite it being another back end of a back-to-back, the Rockets have no reasons or excuses to lose in Utah on Saturday night. If Houston can’t win in Salt Lake City, it’s because they didn’t bring the effort and overlooked professionals in the lower tier of their industry. As long as the Rockets come ready to play, they should have a nice two game win streak to start the post All-Star break portion of the season.

Rockets Resume Action, Host Timberwolves in Final Meeting

Reset.    Anticipated Return.    Race Time.    

After a much-needed week off due to the All-Star break, the Rockets resume action as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Overall, Houston has lost seven of their last ten games overall. Minnesota is coming off an impressive win at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder right before the break. This is the final matchup between these teams in the regular season. After winning the first game, the Rockets have lost the last two meetings with the Wolves. Houston will try and even the season series up with a victory tonight.

After missing roughly seven weeks, Jabari Smith Jr. will finally be making his long-awaited return to the Rockets lineup tonight. Fred VanVleet remains out with an ankle injury, but it will be interesting to see if head coach Ime Udoka tweaks the opening day starting lineup, as many expect, and placing Bari with the second unit. In Smith Jr’s absence, Amen Thompson has more than earned his way into a starting role on this team. Twin’s now surpassed Jalen Green in many people’s eyes as Houston’s second best player behind Alperen Sengun. And with Thompson’s youth, he hasn’t yet even come close to reaching his true potential.

Other than VanVleet, then Rockets are healthy entering this matchup. And a victory over the Wolves tonight would be huge for this young Houston team that limped into the All-Star break. This game also begins the final stretch as we enter the playoff-push portion of the season. It almost feels like a race, as the Rockets have 27 games remaining in the regular season that will be played over the next 52 days. And unless they completely crash and burn, Houston should be in store for a Play-In spot at worst.

Every matchup with the Wolves this season has been close. The Rockets won the first meeting in overtime on the road before losing the next two matchups in heartbreaking fashion. Houston has struggled without Van Vleet, their leader on the floor. And they’ll be integrating Smith Jr. back into the mix tonight, which hopefully won’t endure any growing pains. Expect another close, heated, and testy battle tonight at Toyota Center between two hungry conference foes eager to climb the standings in the West.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Minnesota Timberwolves (31-25):  White

Houston Rockets (34-21):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  8:30 PM CT

TV:  ESPN,  Space City Home Network

Rockets Rally Falls Short in 105-98 Loss to Warriors

Lacking Focus.    (Almost) Saved by the Bench.    Break Time.

Houston’s last game before the All-Star break featured another comeback gone wry, as the Rockets fell short to the Warriors, 105-98, on Thursday night. Golden State led by as many as 24 points in this contest, but after Houston’s Head Coach Ime Udoka subbed out his entire starting lineup, the reserves made a valiant comeback attempt, getting within two points. And that’s as close as the Rockets would get, as Stephen Curry scored 27 points to lead the Warriors, with Brandin Podziemski chipping in 18 points, including some big shots that prevented Houston’s rally from becoming a success. 

It seemed as if most of the Rockets had their mind on vacation, as the starters came out with no energy. Aaron Holiday led Houston in scoring with 25 points, and Jock Landale quietly had another solid performance off the bench. Landale scored 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in a sparse 16 minutes of action. Nate Williams, who rarely ever sees court action, added a season-high 11 points in 18 minutes of playing time, and Jeff Green scored 10 points, but ultimately, the Rockets came up short.

With this latest defeat, Houston has now lost seven of their last ten games as they enter the All-Star break. The Rockets still hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference, but the squad will need to spring out of the break with some revitalized energy in order to get back on the winning track. For now, the squad will get a much-needed seven days off before their next game.

Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Reed Sheppard will all be heading to San Francisco to participate in the NBA All-Star Weekend. Sengun will be playing for Team Chuck in the All-Star Game on Sunday evening. Thompson and Sheppard will be participating in the Rising Stars Game on Friday night.

In general, the Rockets need to rest up and get healthy. Fred VanVleet has been out with an injury, and hopefully he’ll be close to returning after the break. Tari Eason and Steven Adams could certainly use the time off to rest their respective injury management issues. It’s rumored Jabari Smith Jr. will be making his long-awaited return in Houston’s next game, which will be Friday, February 21st, at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hopefully after the break, the Rockets will be ready to come back to the court stronger than ever, as only 27 games remain in the regular season.

Rockets Battle Warriors in Final Game Before the Break

New Look Dubs.    Rivalry Extended.    Midterm Exam.

In their final game before the All-Star break, the Houston Rockets host the new-look Golden State Warriors for a Thursday night showdown. This is a back-to-back for both squads, as both of these teams played last night. The Rockets are coming off a win over the Phoenix Suns at home. Meanwhile, the Warriors are coming off a road loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It’s Golden State’s first loss since acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat right before the trade deadline. Despite the defeat, the new-look Dubs already look refreshed and refueled, a dangerous mix for opponents.

And tonight will be a tough test for the Rockets as they’ll still be without their floor leader and starting point guard in Fred VanVleet. And Houston will be even more short-handed than usual, as Tari Eason will also miss tonight’s contest for injury management. The Rockets need Jalen Green to step up and hope Alperen Sengun delivers an All-Star performance. Houston barely beat the Golden State in these rivals previous matchup, squeaking by with a controversial one-point victory at home. And with the addition of Butler, these Warriors are the best version of the Dubs Houston has seen this season.

Golden State is still fighting to rise out of the Play-In area of the Western Conference standings. The Warriors are currently in tenth place with a 27-27 Meanwhille, the Rockets sit in fourth place, as they aim to rise back to the second spot, a position they held for a few weeks earlier this season. This is the fourth of a record five regular season meetings between these rivals, due to the previous matchup being an NBA Cup quarterfinal contest.

Tonight is the final game before the break for both of these Western foes. The mentally stronger team will likely be the winner of this matchup. As it seems nearly 95% of Houston’s games have gone down to the wire, expect another thriller at Toyota Center on Thursday night. The Rockets will aim to push their win streak to three games, and beat their nemesis, the Golden State Warriors, in consecutive games for the first time in nearly half a decade. And so far this season, whenever these clubs matchup, the affairs turn theatric and exciting… look for more of the same tonight as the Rockets play their final game before the All-Star break.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Golden State Warriors (27-27):  Blue

Houston Rockets (34-20):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Rise Past Suns, 119-111, for Second Straight Win

Leading the Way.    Terror Takeover.    Role Reversal.

Tari Eason led a balanced offensive attack for Houston, scoring 25 points as the Rockets rallied past the Phoenix Suns for a 119-111 victory on Wednesday night. Entering the final quarter, Houston faced an eight point deficit, but managed to outscore Phoenix 35-19 in the final frame en route to a comeback win. The Rockets survived a very efficient 37 point night from Kevin Durant to lead the Suns. Everyone contributed in this victory for Houston. The starters combined to score 111 of the team’s 119 total points. Jalen Green added 22 points, Dillon Brooks chipped in 18 points, and Alperen Sengun scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, as the All-Star secured another double-double on the season. But this comeback win for Houston was fueled by the terror twins.

Besides leading the Rockets with 25 points, Eason compiled 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals in the victory. And Amen Thompson had a very quiet triple-double. Twin registered 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, marking the third triple-double of his young career. Thompson also had two blocks and steals apiece, as he and Eason terrorized Phoenix’s offense to kick-start Houston’s rally. The win marks the second straight for the Rockets after suffering a season-high six game losing streak. This contest also featured a bit of welcome role reversal for Houston, although it’d be nice to win a game comfortably every once in a while.

Instead of choking and gifting the game away as the Rockets seemed to do throughout their losing streak, Houston rallied back for the victory against Phoenix on Wednesday night. The fourth quarter has been the Rockets achilles heal this season, as they’ve struggled mightily in the final frame of games. Yet against the Suns, Houston managed to outscore Phoenix by 16 points, 35-19, to close the contest strong. It’s a welcome sign, but regardless, this Rockets team still seems to have hit a wall as we approach the All-Star break.

Houston will now have one more game, tomorrow, on Thursday night, as they host the Golden State Warriors in the final game before the break. The Rockets finally ended their historically ugly fifteen game skid to the Warriors in the previous meeting with Golden State, an NBA Cup quarterfinal win that advanced Houston to Las Vegas. Nonetheless, the Warriors just acquired Jimmy Butler in the trade deadline, only improving their roster, and increasing the chance of providing more headaches in Houston. As they did against the Suns, hopefully the Rockets can enter the All-Star break with a victory.