Month: March 2025

Rockets Charm Magic, 97-84, for Third Straight Win

Amazing Adams.    Second Half Lockdown.    Double Big Dominance.

After holding onto a five-point lead at halftime, Houston allowed only 38 points in the second half, as the Rockets beat the Magic, 97-84, on Monday night. The victory gives Houston their third straight win, which is the squad’s longest winning streak since January, after the Rockets stumbled through a tough month of February. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 20 points, one of five Houston players in double-figure scoring. In another double-double performance, Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points, 14 rebounds, along with 4 assists. Dillon Brooks stayed hot offensively, scoring 17 points, and Jalen Green added 15 points in the win.

After a rough start to the game, the Rockets ended the first quarter on a 13-0 run to take a four point lead after the first quarter. Houston used another dominant defensive third period, allowing the Magic to score only 16 points, to take control of the matchup. Paolo Banchero scored 25 points to lead the Magic, but Orlando never stood a chance against the Rockets. The Magic’s 84 points are the least amount of points Houston’s defense has allowed this entire season.

However, the story of this game was Steven Adams. The big man had his best game as member of the Rockets, as Adams scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds. Sengun and Adams have been sharing court time in what has been dubbed the Double Big Lineup, and the unit has dominated. Sengun and Adams combined to grab a whopping 31 boards on Monday night. Expect to see more of this Double Big lineup, especially considering Amen Thompson is still expected to be sideline for potentially a couple of weeks.

The Rockets are now 33-7 this season when holding a lead entering the fourth quarter. Houston’s had several amazing comebacks this season, but when the Rockets can build a lead entering the final frame, they usually hang on to win the game. Houston will now continue their longest homestand of the season with a matchup with Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The Rockets are 1-0 against the Suns this season, winning the lone matchup so far back in Houston, 119-112, on February 12th. Phoenix is desperately trying to claw back into the Play-In race. The Suns are currently in eleventh place in the Western Conference, on the outside looking in at being potential Play-In participants. The Rockets will aim for their fourth straight win, as Houston aims to climb higher up to the fourth, third, or even second seed in the West.

Rockets Aim for Third Straight Win as Magic Come to Town

Final First Look.    Filling Twin’s Void.    Questionable Point. 

The Houston Rockets aim for three straight wins as they host the Orlando Magic for a Monday night matchup. This is the first meeting this season between Houston and Orlando, the last team the Rockets have yet to play this season before tonight. After a 17-9 start to the season, the Magic have struggled, as they currently have losing record of 30-35. Orlando did lose their two best players, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, to significant injuries earlier this season. So, that certainly played a major factor into their slide after an impressive 28-game start to their season. In their last game, the Magic snapped a five-game losing streak with an impressive, 111-109, win over the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Houston is coming off a 146-117 blowout win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. Entering tonight’s tilt, the Rockets need to disregard their opponent’s record and be ready to play against a tougher foe in this young and talented Orlando team. Banchero and Wagner are two of the best young and rising stars in the entire league. The Magic also have Wendell Carter Jr., among other players on their roster who could sneakily have a big game.

Amen Thompson is set to miss at least the next 10-14 days after suffering an ankle injury late in the squad’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. The Rockets will need more guys from the Stay Ready Crew to step up tonight, especially if Fred VanVleet remains sidelined. FVV is listed as questionable entering Monday night’s matchup. Regardless if he plays or not, Houston is playing at home, and the squad has enough weapons to beat Orlando.

Tonight is part two of the Rockets’ current season-high six game homestand. With a record of 21-10 at home, compared to 18-15 away from the Toyota Center, Houston should be ready to contend with the Magic in this tilt. Entering this matchup, the may be shorthanded, but Houston’s depth is one of their best assets. The Rockets have shown throughout this season they have a plethora of guys on their roster who can step up and fill key voids on any given night.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Orlando Magic (30-35):  Black

Houston Rockets (39-25):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Blast Pelicans 146-117, to Begin Homestand

Balanced Attack.    Swept the Birds.    Lost Prayer.

Led by a balanced offensive attack, the Rockets demolished the Pelicans, 146-117, on Saturday night at Toyota Center. The win is Houston’s first dub to start this current season-high six game homestand, and the second victory in a row overall for the Rockets. Dillon Brooks was fantastic once again. Houston’s best three-point shooter connected on seven of his eleven attempts from downtown to score 27 points to lead the squad. The Rockets are now 7-2 this season when Brooks scores at least 20 points. Alperen Sengun added 20 points to the offensive explosion. And Aaron Holiday continues to be tremendous in limited minutes off the bench, as he added 20 points as well. Overall, the Rockets had seven players score at least a dozen points. Their 146-point outburst on Saturday night also makes a a season-high for points in game for Houston.

Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 20 points, but the Pelicans never threatened to make this contest competitive. The victory gives the Rockets a 4-0 season-sweep over the New Orleans Pelicans for only the second time in history, as these divisional foes usually concede a game or two to the other. This season, Houston took care of business against New Orleans, and the Rockets will look to do the same in their remaining five games of this homestand upcoming on the schedule.

Unfortunately, Houston suffered some bad news late in this matchup, as Amen Thompson suffered an ankle injury in garbage time, and headed straight to the locker room. Twin finished the night with 15 points, 11 assists, and 9 boards, only one rebound shy of a triple-double. Ime Udoka kept Thompson in the game to try and grab that last board, but the move backfired, as Twin went down and exited the contest. According to several reports, Thompson is expected to miss at least 10-14 days, and will be re-evaluated in one week. It’s severely tough news for a Rockets team that’s already missing their starting point guard, in Fred VanVleet. Thompson is also the defensive anchor of this Houston squad, and the only Rocket who can truly guard any position on the floor… his value is immeasurable. In many cases, Twin would fill in as that playmaker role for FVV. Moving forward, Houston will need other guys to step up, although VanVleet is supposed to be nearing a return to action on the court.

The Rockets will continue this six game homestand as they welcome the Orlando Magic to town for a Monday night matchup. Orlando is the lone team Houston has yet to face this season, as the Rockets will play the Magic once again in Florida in a little over a week. Houston may be short-handed against Orlando, but the Rockets still have enough firepower, and should be able to secure their third straight win on Monday night.

Rockets Face Pelicans in Rematch, Begin Longest Homestand

Part Two.    Sixth Heaven.    Home Savings.

 

Fresh off their first road win in over a month, the Rockets return home to host the New Orleans Pelicans for a rematch on Saturday night. This is the final matchup this season between these divisional foes, as Houston won the previous game, 109-97, on Thursday night. Tonight also marks the beginning of the longest home stretch of the entire season for the Rockets. Saturday’s night tilt against New Orleans is the first of six straight games at Toyota Center for Houston. And all six contests are very winnable matchups for the Rockets, with every opponent sporting a losing record on the season.

With a record of 38-25, Houston is still in fifth place in the crowded and competitive Western Conference. If the Rockets can take care of business over this homestand, they can potentially climb up all the way to the second seed. But if Houston plays down to their competition over this stretch, they could be in danger of slipping into the Play-In tournament. After tonight, the Rockets will face the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, and then finally the disappointing Philadelphia 76ers. Given these opponents, there’s no reason Houston shouldn’t go 5-1 at the worst over this stretch.

Expect more of the same from a New Orleans squad getting closer and closer to vacation tonight. Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and CJ McCollum will once again be the focal points of the defense for the Rockets in this game. But, as is the NBA, any player can bust out of nowhere to have a great game, and propel their team to an upset. So, Houston needs to remain focused as they return home.

The squad should squad to be energized as they commence a home stretch that could potentially define their season. Fred VanVleet will once again be sidelined tonight for the Rockets with his ankle injury. Luckily Houston’s upcoming schedule isn’t too challenging, but the Rockets will need their floor leader back for the playoffs, and hopefully sooner. Houston’s final five games in particular are brutally tough to end the campaign. For now, the Rockets will hope to build on what will be a long winning streak approaching the playoffs, as we enter the final month of the regular season.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

New Orleans Pelicans (17-46):  White

Houston Rockets (38-25):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fly Past Pelicans, 109-97, to End Skid

Snapped.    The Flying Twin.    Final Four Lockdown.

The Rockets snapped their three game losing streak with a 109-97 victory over in New Orleans over the Pelicans on Thursday night. The win also puts an end to Houston’s eight game road skid, as the Rockets hadn’t won a road game since late January before beating the Pels in the Big Easy. Houston trailed by three points at halftime but used a dominant third quarter to take a 15 point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Fueled by their All-Star and the Terror Twins, the Rockets outscored the Pelicans, 33-15, in the third period, as Houston took control of the game.

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 22 points, 6 boards, and eight assists. And the Terror Twins were a haunting duo in New Orleans. Amen Thompson provided 21 points and 11 rebounds, whilst Tari Eason contributed 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Twin had some incredible dunks as well, as Thompson was flying throughout the game, catching lobs and making incredible dunks in transition. Dillon Brooks continues to have the best season of his career, particularly offensively. The Villain scored 14 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting, despite going only 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. And Jabari Smith Jr. keeps on embracing a reserve role for Houston. Bari contributed 16 points and 5 rebounds off the bench for the Rockets.Trey Murphy II led the Pelicans with 26 points, and Houston did a solid job containing Zion Williamson, as the Rockets held the superstar to only 20 points and 10 rebounds for the night.

Despite holding a 15 point edge entering the final frame, Houston once again let their opponent back in the contest. Even in wins, the Rockets fourth quarter struggles  continued, as the squad managed to score only 20 points in the final and most important period of the game. New Orleans made the affairs interesting, cutting Houston’s edge to only seven points, 100-93, with around five minutes remaining. Thankfully, the Rockets used some lockdown defense to keep the Pelicans at bay to earn the win. Houston’s defense allowed New Orleans to score only four points in the final four minutes of the contest, as the Rockets put an end to their road woes on Thursday night in the Big Easy.

Up next for Houston, the Rockets return home for their longest homestand of this entire season. Houston’s next six games will all be at Toyota Center, beginning with a rematch against these same Pelicans on Saturday night. As the Rockets displayed in snapping their road skid in New Orleans, they should be able to handle the Pels back in Houston, as these divisional foes prepare to face-off for a rematch on Saturday night.

Rockets Urgently Seeking Win, Visit Pelicans in the Big Easy

Home and Home.    Road Trip Finale.    The Big Easy Stretch.

 

Houston aims to get back on track, as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night for the last stop on this three game road-trip. The Rockets enter this matchup on a three game losing streak, coming off a 115-102 defeat to Pacers in Indy on Tuesday night. Houston is desperately seeking a win tonight as they aim to close their road trip on a positive note before returning home for a ten day home stretch in the schedule. Earlier this season back in December, the Rockets won the first two matchups with the Pelicans in Houston during the Christmas period. 

Despite New Orlean’s 17-45 record, the Pelicans have been playing better ball lately, going 5-3 over their last eight games. In their previous game, New Orleans suffered a 21-point road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they did get a solid performance from Zion Williamson, who scored 37 points. Even though his career has been marred by sufficient injuries, Zion remains one of the most explosive players when he’s healthy and on his “A” game. Besides Williamson, C.J. McCollum is an All-Star caliber guard who can score 30 points on any given night. Moral of the story: the Pelicans still have some talented players, and if the Rockets aren’t focused tonight, Houston’s losing streak may continue.

Tonight’s matchup is the first of a home-and-home against the Pelicans. These divisional foes will square off once again on Saturday night back in Houston, for the final matchup of the season. This game also marks the stretch of several very winnable matchups coming up for the Rockets. After tonight, Houston returns home for six straight games, their longest homestand of the season. Starting with the Pelicans on Saturday night, every opponent has a losing record (besides the Dallas Mavericks, who are on their own path of imploding self-destruction), and the Rockets should be favored in every contest. It’s not impossible, but Houston can potentially begin a seven-game winning streak with a win in the Big Easy tonight.

Fred VanVleet remains out with an ankle injury. The Rockets have gone only 5-8 since FVV initially injured the ankle back on February 1st. Houston has a great chance to get a win against a New Orleans team that is firmly in the Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes, eyeing this summer’s draft lottery. Regardless, if they overlook the Pelicans, the Rockets will be in trouble, as has been a bad trend lately in losses for Houston as they’ve played down to their competition.

Hopefully, the Rockets are ready to play, and show some improvement from the free throw line, as the charity stripe has been very unforgiving to Houston this season. After a woeful 50% showing from the line in their last game, the Rockets are now officially the worst free throws shooting team in the league. Starting tonight, it’s time for Houston to improve on their weaknesses, and continue their push for playoff positioning, by bringing their skid to an end in the Big Easy against a Pelicans team ready for summer vacation.

 

Smoothie King Center:  New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (37-25):  White

New Orleans Pelicans (17-45):  Navy

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall to Pacers, 115-102, as Struggles Continue in Third Straight Loss

Seventh Hell.    Bumps in the Road.    Losing Pace.

Houston trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half, stormed back to take a one point lead, but ultimately fell short, as the Rockets lost to the Pacers, 115-102, on Saturday night. After starting the season strong away from Toyota Center, Houston has now lost seven straight road games. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, but no one else on Houston’s roster had an exceptional outing.

Tyrese Haliburton continued his strong stretch of recent play, as his 28 points and 15 assists fueled Indy’s victory. Pascal Siakam also added 18 points for the Pacers, who jumped on the Rockets after the score was tied at 30 after the first quarter. Houston trailed by ten at halftime, and despite a comeback attempt, Indy had control of the game for the duration, as the Rockets road woes continued on Saturday night.

This defeat in Indy marks three straight losses for Houston, as the squad now boasts a record of 37-25, still good enough for the fifth spot in the competitive Western Conference. Although the Golden State Warriors are rolling since acquiring Jimmy Butler. And the Rockets now have a shrinking lead over the Dubs, as the Warriors sit in sixth place, only three games behind Houston for the fifth spot. To make matters worse, Golden State owns the tiebreaker, so the Rockets are essentially only two games ahead of the Warriors for control of fifth place.

Up next, Houston will try and break their road losing streak as they visit the Big Easy on Thursday night for the finale of their three-game road trip. The Pelicans are near the bottom of the standings, but have been playing well of late, winners of five of their last eight games. If the Rockets want to keep their hopes for a chance at home-court in the first round of the playoffs alive, they’ll need to channel that road-warrior mentality they displayed earlier in the season.

It’s not certain when Fred VanVleet will return, but the Rockets have struggled mightily without their floor leader. Houston is now 5-10 (including the game the injury occurred) since FVV went down with an ankle sprain. Without VanVleet, the Rockets are simply not the same team, especially down the stretch of games and during crunch time. Only 20 games remain now in the regular season. Houston can only pray FVV makes a healthy return before it’s too late, or the Rockets may find themselves even lower down in the standings.

Rockets Head Up North to Indy for Matchup with Pacers

Part Two.    Battle of Fifths.    Rotational Returns.

Houston continues their three-game road trip with a visit to Indianapolis on Tuesday night to take on the Pacers. The Rockets are coming off a road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. Houston was missing several rotational players (Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, and Steven Adams), but most guys will be making their return tonight in Indy. VanVleet, however, re-aggravated his ankle in the loss at home to the Sacramento Kings. Therefore, FVV will remain out for tonight’s contest. The Rockets still have enough weapons to beat this Pacers team.

This matchup is a battle of fifth place teams in their respective conferences. While Indy started slow, and has been one of the better teams in 2025, the Rockets have slumped since FVV suffered his initial injury. Houston is now 5-8 since VanVleet first injured his ankle. The Rockets are still holding on the fifth place, but the Golden State Warriors are rolling, and not too far behind, sitting in the sixth position. Despite being severely undermanned in last night’s loss in OKC, Houston put forth a spirited effort. With a healthier team intact tonight, expect the Rockets to be hungry to end their current two-game losing streak.

Tonight’s game is also the second of a three game road trip for Houston, as they’ll wrap up the stretch with a visit to the Big Easy on Thursday night to face the Pelicans. Focusing on Tuesday night’s tilt, this is also the second and final meeting between these squads. The Rockets won the first matchup with the Pacers this season, besting Indy 130-113, back on November 20th in Houston. Tyrese Haliburton struggled in that game, but Indy’s star point guard has been rolling lately. The Pacers also have All-Star Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner, among many other options. Indy is quietly one of the deeper teams in the entire league.

Thankfully, after tonight, the Rockets only have two more sets of back-to-backs remaining all season (and none in the playoffs, if they can hang on and make the postseason). Houston is 6-8 in the second half of back-to-backs this season. They’ll look to improve on that mark as they battle a Pacers team thats also fighting for playoff positioning as we wind down to roughly twenty games remaining in the regular season.

 

Gainbridge Fieldhouse:  Indianapolis, Indiana

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (37-24):  Black

Indiana Pacers (34-25):  White

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Undermanned Rockets Fall Short in 137-128 Loss to Thunder

Late Scratches.    MVP Demonstration.    Moral-Est of Victories.

In a game that featured many of Houston’s players sidelined due to injuries, the Rockets still put forth a valiant effort, yet fell short to Thunder, 137-128, on Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander erupted to score 51 points for OKC, as his performance against Houston showed why he’s the leading favorite to win the NBA’s MVP award this season. Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, and Steven Adams were all sidelined due to injuries. Eason and Adams sat out due to injury management per usual on the second night of a back-to-back. Unfortunately, VanVleet apparently re-tweaked his angle after stepping on a referee’s foot in their previous game against the Sacramento Kings. Sengun, Thompson, and Brooks were all game-time decisions that turned into late scratches for the Rockets.

Despite missing all those rotation players, Houston made this contest more competitive than expected in OKC. The Thunder needed every last one of SGA’s 51 points, as the scrappy Rockets refused to go away quietly. Cam Whitmore scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a striating role. And in his first start of the season, Reed Sheppard had the best game his young career. The rookie scored 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and dished out 5 assists in a career high 31minutes of playing time. Jalen Green added 18 points for Houston, but SGA and the Thunder were too much for this undermanned Rockets team to overcome. Fellow All-Star Jalen Williams added 24 points for OKC to help keep Houston at bay.

With the loss, the Rockets stay in the fifth place in the West, with a 37-24 record. Houston still remains only a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the fourth spot (and the Rockets own the tiebreaker with the Grizz). This defeat in OKC was the moral-est of victories for Houston. Monday night was as undermanned as the Rockets have been all season. And they hung with arguably the best team in the NBA for almost 48 minutes. Houston should be expected to get some players back for their next game, tomorrow night in Indy against the Pacers. The Rockets still have a four game lead over the Golden State Warriors for the sixth spot. But the Dubs are heating up, as the Warriors have gone 8-1 since acquiring Jimmy Butler right before the trade deadline. Houston doesn’t own the tiebreaker with Golden State, so the Rockets need to pile up some wins soon if they want to avoid slipping further down in the standings.

Rockets Begin Road Trip with Visit to OKC to Battle the Thunder

Monday Night Melee.    First of Three.    Part One.    

Houston begins a three game road-trip in the toughest of locations, with a matchup at Paycom Center tonight, against the Oklahoma City Thunder for a Monday Night Melee. OKC has dominated the Western Conference all season, as they have roughly a ten game lead over second place. The Thunder enter this matchup winners of their last three games. The Rockets slouch into this contest coming off a bad home loss to a undermanned Sacramento Kings team. OKC has won two of the first three matchups over Houston this season, and can clinch the season series with a victory tonight. The Rockets lost to the Thunder in the NBA Cup Semifinals in Las Vegas in the previous matchups between these conference foes.

Tonight is also the first part of a three game road-trip for Houston, as well as the first half of a back-to-back. The Rockets will travel to Indianapolis tomorrow night for a matchup with the Pacers. After retaining hold of the second seed for a few weeks, Houston has slowly slipped in the standings all the way down to the fifth spot. If the Rockets continue losing, they’re in jeopardy of falling into a Play-In spot, which could dangerously end their season in Sudden Death fashion.

Houston had one of their best games of the season in their victory over OKC. However, in their two losses, the Rockets were no match for the Thunder, losing both contests in blowout fashion. Houston’s Head Coach Ime Udoka needs to have his squad prepared for a tough battle tonight, as the Rockets aim to stay in the chase for home-court advantage come playoff time in the Western Conference.

Given that this is the first of a back-to-back, Tari Eason and Steven Adams likely won’t play tomorrow night, so expect big energy performances from those two Rockets off the bench tonight. Fred VanVleet is looking for a bounce-back performance after a rusty performance in his first game back, last Saturday night. Houston has shown they can beat this juggernaut OKC team, but they have yet to do it this season at Paycom Center… it’s time for the Rockets to channel their inner toughness and grit if they want to finally beat the Thunder on the road.

 

Paycom Center:  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (37-23):  Black

Oklahoma City Thunder (49-11):  White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  NBA TV,  Space City Home Network