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Rockets Begin Lengthy Road-Trip in Miami with Matchup Against Heat

Half Dozen Road.    Hot Start and a Missing Toe.    Player of the Week.

Fresh off their longest home-stand of the season, and an impressive win over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Rockets now embark on their longest road-trip of the campaign. The journey begins with a matchup in Miami, against the Heat, on Monday night. Tonight’s game is the first of six games on this road trip for Houston, who enter this contest with a 3-10 record away from home. The Rockets have great opportunity to improve that record over the next few games, as they have several beatable teams mixed in with some tougher opponents on this upcoming trip. The Heat have lost three of their last four games overall, and enter this matchup with a 2-0-15 record, good for eight place in the Eastern Conference.

Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks are both progressing with their respective injuries. However, both players will be out of tonight’s matchup with Miami. The Heat are missing their best player, Jimmy Butler, who will miss his fourth straight game with a toe injury. The Rockets need to take advantage of Butler’s absence, and pounce on a Miami team that’s struggled without their star in the lineup. Despite the All-Star’s absence, the Heat still have plenty of firepower coming Houston’s way. Bam Adebayo is one of the best centers in the NBA, and should be another tough matchup for Alperen Sengun inside. Miami also has one of the most surprising rookies of the season, in UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., who has shined in his first season with the Heat. Tyler Herro has a recent history of having great shooting performances against the Rockets. Houston needs to focus defensively on preventing Herro from getting open looks at the basket. Adebayo will also be a rebounding force on both ends. The Rockets need to bring the same effort tonight that was on display in their previous victory over the Bucks. They withstood a furious Milwaukee rally, and it if wasn’t for a solid first-half, Houston could’ve lost that matchup. The Rockets have to get off to a hot start in Miami, as it’s even harder to play from behind on the road, something that’s been a trend Houston will attempt to buck tonight.

Earlier today, Alperen Sengun was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. At age 21, he’s the youngest Rocket in franchise-history to receive the honor, and the first since James Harden back in 2019. In a conference loaded with talented players, this is a very impressive addition early on in Sengun’s career for his resume. Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks’ best player, and likely All-Star, was the East’s recipient. If Houston can weather this upcoming road-trip, and keep their record above .500, Sengun should be a lock for his first All-Star bid. Despite being down a superstar in Butler, this Heat team is coached by one of the league’s best to ever do it in Erik Spoelstra. Coach Spo won’t let his Miami team play soft. The Heat are one of the few teams that play hard every night, regardless of who’s available. The Rockets need to adapt this mindset and be prepared for a defensive battle… as they begin the longest road-trip of the season on Monday night in Miami.

 

Kaseya Center:  Miami, Florida

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (18-16):  Black

Miami Heat (20-15):  White

 

Tip-Off:  6:30 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Extinguish Bucks’ Late Rally in 112-108 Win

Defensive Stand.    Superb Reserves.    Closing with a Bang.

After going 2-4 over the first six games of their latest seven-game home-stand, the Rockets saved their best effort for last, as they defeated the tough Milwaukee Bucks, 112-108, in impressive fashion on Saturday night. Houston withstood a monster 48 point, 17 rebound performance from Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo in the win. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 21 points and 11 boards in a balanced offensive attack for Houston. Seven Rocket players reached double-figures in scoring, as the squad had contributions across the board on both ends of the floor. The Greens had 16 points apiece. Jeff Green played a season-high 34 minutes, as he continues to be outstanding off the bench for Houston. Jeff Green also played well in the previous matchup against the Bucks in Milwaukee, scoring 14 points. Jalen Green’s shot was not as fluid as in recent games, but he was effective enough to see 28 minutes on the court. Jabari Smith Jr.’s superb sophomore season keeps rolling on. Jabari had a solid double-double with 14 points and 12 boards, to go along with solid defense. Cam Whitmore scored a career-high 12 points in only 13 minutes action. After seeing only garbage-time minutes to start his NBA career, Whitmore is thriving with more playing time each game. The rookie has now scored in double figures in five of his last six games overall. Expect Whitmore to continue seeing more action on the court, especially with Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks still sidelined.

Houston managed to hold Damian Lillard to only 18 points. This may be the least points Lillard has ever scored against the Rockets, as he’s a seasoned Rocket-killer. Lillard scored 39 points in the Bucks victory in Milwaukee in the first game this season. In the latest matchup, Houston raised the level of their defensive intensity. Giannis still went-off for a monster night, but the Rockets were able to withstand a late, furious Bucks rally for the victory. And after struggling with their defense, Houston held a Milwaukee team that averages 125 points a game to only 108 on Saturday night. The Rockets are now 16-4 when they hold their opponents to under 110 points. It’s no secret the that Rockets usually lose when they allow the opposition to put 110 points on the board. And this latest game was another example of why Houston is at their best when they’re clicking on all cylinders defensively.

The Rockets held a 16-point edge entering the fourth quarter, and despite being outscored by the Bucks by a dozen, Houston managed to hang-on for the impressive victory. The squad is now 15-4 when leading after three quarters. Another reason the Rockets need to avoid getting off to slow starts. It’s incredibly hard to comeback after being down double-digits in this league. Houston’s pulled it off this season. But those wins are rare and energy-draining. The Rockets reserves were also superb in this contest, outscoring Milwaukee’s bench 43-22 in the game. Houston will need to continue to see this contribution from everyone on the roster, as Eason and Brooks remain out with injuries. After struggling to start this latest home-stand, the Rockets won the game that looked like the toughest of them all, closing this home stretch with a bang. Saturday night’s win was only the second time all season Houston has won the second part of a back-to-back. It’s even more impressive considering the embarrassment the squad showed in their blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves the previous evening. The Bucks present a very tough challenge on any night, and are legit contenders to win the Championship this season. Despite going 3-4 over their last seven games at Toyota Center, this young Rockets team should be proud of themselves with the way they closed this home-stand. The squad will now embark on a six game road-trip, the longest of their entire season. Hopefully Houston carries the toughness they displayed against Milwaukee as they prepare to embark on a lengthy trip.

Rockets Welcome Bucks to Close Out Home-Stand

Part 2.    Imperfect Storm.    Containing the Duo.

The Rockets finish their seven game home-stand with a battle against the Milwaukee Bucks. Houston is coming off a disappointing blowout loss, 122-95, to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night at Toyota Center. Saturday night’s contest marks the second in a pair of tough-back-to-back games for this young Houston team. The Rockets are aiming to bounce back against one the best team’s in the NBA in the Bucks. Milwaukee is 25-10, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are coming off an exciting win over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. Houston will try and make this Texas-stop rougher for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee tonight. The Bucks won the previous matchup between these two teams, 128-119, in Milwaukee back on December 17th.

  Despite being in the friendly confines of Toyota Center, tonight’s matchup is an imperfect storm for these young Rockets. The Bucks are the more rested team after having yesterday off. Houston will aim to give a better effort, and prevent another blowout loss on Saturday night, but the squad remains short-handed. Tari Eason will miss his third consecutive game with a lower leg injury, and Dillon Brooks remains sidelined with an oblique injury. Neither injury is deemed serious, but this duo in particular makes the Rockets so much better defensively. Without Eason and Brooks, Houston’s defense has taken a slide. The squad needs Aaron Holiday, Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, and others to step up and contribute if they want any chance to beat Milwaukee tonight.

The key to tonight’s game is simple: preventing Damian Lillard and Giannis from exploding for 60 or more points. Houston has to contain the NBA’s most potent duo in order to cap off this home-stand with a victory. Giannis and Dame combined to light up the Rockets for 65 points in the first matchup. Houston needs to aim to keep them below 50 points combined, which will give them a shot to pull off the upset. Hopefully, the Rockets can make this contest more competitive than their loss on Friday night. Houston never really threatened to overtake Minnesota once the Timberwolves had the lead, and it resulted in a blowout loss at home. Luckily, those have been rare this season. Other than last night versus Minnesota and the game against the Phoenix Suns, these Rockets have shown they don’t let teams blow them out in their house. Expect the squad to bounce back with better effort against a better team tonight… whether it results in a victory remains to be seen.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Milwaukee Bucks (25-10):  Green

Houston Rockets (17-16):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Humble Town:  Rockets Dismantled by Wolves in 122-95 Blowout Loss

Black Friday.    Too Tall.    Trouble Brewing?

The Rockets made five of their first seven shots, and early on had a five-point lead, but once Minnesota got rolling, Houston had no answer. The Rockets were outscored in every quarter en route to a 122-95 blowout loss on Friday night. Anthony Edwards’ streak of ten consecutive games scoring at least 25 points ended, as Edwards just missed the mark scoring 24 to lead the Wolves. The streak ending didn’t matter, as Minnesota had four players score at least 16 points in a balanced attack. Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 for the Wolves, and Rudy Gobert registered 13 points and 12 boards. Jalen Green scored 20 points, on 7-for-16 shooting from the field, to lead the Rockets. Alperen Sengun scored 19 points in a below-average performance. Minnesota’s Twin Towers of Gobert and Towns overpowered Sengun on this night, and Houston’s team in general.

The squad has been competitive in the majority of their games this season, but Friday night’s loss to Minnesota wasn’t the case. The Rockets weren’t really a threat to the Wolves’ lead after the first quarter, and the game got out of hand near the end of the third period. Houston lacked the third quarter fire-power we had seen in the previous two games against the NBA’s best second-half defense in Minnesota. The Wolves were too tall and talented for a Rockets team that sorely missed Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks. Those two will remain out for Houston’s next game, as they close out their seven-game home-stand with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

Trouble could be brewing for Houston. The next contest is the second game of a back-to-back, and the third in for nights for the Rockets. They’ll be playing a rested Milwaukee Bucks coming off an exciting win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. Houston will aim to make Milwaukee’s next stop a little more challenging on Saturday night, and get rolling themselves before starting a lengthy six-game road-trip on Monday night.

Rockets Host Timberwolves in First Part of Brutal Back-to-Back

Hunting Weekend.    Front of the Pack.    Towering Task.

It’s hunting season this weekend in Houston, as the Rockets welcome two of the  NBA’s best teams into Toyota Center for the arguably the squad’s toughest back-to-back of this season. First up, Houston hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. The Rockets will then welcome the Milwaukee Bucks to town tomorrow night to close out their home-stand. Like Houston, the Wolves are one of the surprise teams in the NBA this year, exceeding expectations to start the season. Minnesota is currently holding the first spot in the Western Conference. And their record of 24-9 is second best in the league only to the East’s Boston Celtics. However, the Wolves have been struggling lately. Minnesota has lost two straight games, and three of their last five overall. Every team in the West has at least 10 losses on the season, except for these Wolves. The Rockets will aim to push them towards the rest of the pack tonight, as they aim to deal Minnesota their third straight loss.

Regardless of their two-game losing streak, the Rockets have a tough, motivated team coming into their house tonight. The Wolves have a “Big Three” of their own. This consists of rising superstar Anthony Edwards, who will be named an All-Star, and is even being discussed in MVP chatter. The Wolves also have the NBA’s modern version of the “Twin Towers,” featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert. Towns is playing the best basketball of his career. And Gobert is once again in the running for Defensive Player of the Year, as he anchors Minnesota’s defense. What does this mean? The Rockets, and especially Alperen Sengun, have their hands full tonight. These three players can beat you alone, but the Wolves have depth, boasting one of the league’s best starting lineups. Veteran point guard Mike Conley is having somewhat of a renaissance season guiding the way for Minnesota this season. And Jaden McDaniels is one of the league’s best “three-and-D” players, meaning the swingman is a defensive beast who can knock down threes at an efficient rate. The Wolves also have one of the best backup centers in the league in Naz Reid.

Houston will still be without Dillon Brooks for tonight’s tilt, and he’s been sorely missed since he went down with an injury. The Rockets still have enough talent, and have shown this season they can beat the NBA’s best teams, especially at home. If Houston wants to win one of these games, they’re best shot is tonight against the Wolves. The Rockets will likely expend a lot of energy in this contest, regardless of the result. And the Bucks are one of league’s best teams, boasting arguably even more firepower than this Wolves squad. The Rockets have scored 85 points over their last two third quarters. If they can bring that offensive firepower for the majority of the game, along with the defensive intensity they’ve shown capable of, Houston has a solid chance at hunting down the West’s top team on Friday night.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Minnesota Timberwolves (24-9):  Blue

Houston Rockets (17-15):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Slice Nets, 112-101, for Second Straight Victory

Third Quarter Fire.    All-Sengun.    Prepare for War.

For the second straight game, the Rockets were fired up coming out of halftime. And it paid off, as Houston beat the Brooklyn Nets, 112-101, on Wednesday night for their second straight win. After trailing by one point at halftime, the Rockets outscored the Nets 38-25 in the third quarter to take control of the game. Whatever Houston’s Head Coach Ime Udoka said during the break amped the Rockets up, as they came out of halftime more aggressive compared to their lethargic first half. Houston held Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson to 15 points apiece. No one else was nearly as productive for Brooklyn.

Alperen Sengun led the way for the Rockets with 30 points. It’s The Wizard’s fourth 30-point game this season, and the fifth of his career. Sengun is averaging a monstrous 28.1 points a game over his last seven contests, leading Houston’s scoring charge in most matchups. The first All-Star returns came out, and Sengun is currently 6th in the Western Conference Frontcourt voting. It’s highly doubtful Sengun gets a starting nod, but coaches around the league recognize his talent. He will likely, and deservedly, be selected as an All-Star reserve for the West, which would mark Sengun’s first career All-Star selection. The big man is certainly playing like an All-Star. And the evidence lies deeper than just glancing at Sengun’s statistics. His hustle, energy, and especially defense have all improved immensely since last season. Sengun was considered somewhat of a defensive liability last year. This season, Sengun is showing he can play on both ends with the league’s best big men on a nightly basis.

Fred VanVleet secured his 12th double-double of the campaign, adding 21 points and 10 dimes for Houston. Cam Whitmore scored a career-high 11 points in 17 minutes, as he continues to improve with more playing time. Jalen Green’s three-game streak of 20-point games came to an end. Green scored 14 points on 5-for-15 shooting, another inefficient performance. Hopefully Jalen can bounce back this weekend, as the Rockets have arguably their toughest back-to-back of the season to close this seven-game home-stand. Houston will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. The Wolves are currently first in the West, and the Bucks are second in the East. It will be tough, but the Rockets have the talent and potential determination to win at least one, if not both, of these contests. They’ll need to play with that third quarter fire in all four periods coming up this weekend.

Rockets Seek Second Straight Win, Welcome Nets to Town

Rest Advantage.    Chance for Distance.    Run Out the Gate.

Undefeated since the turn of the New Year, the Rockets welcome the reeling Brooklyn Nets to Toyota Center for a Wednesday night matchup. The Nets are struggling of late. Brooklyn has lost four straight games, and 9 of their last 11 matches overall. And like Houston, the Nets currently are hanging onto the 9th seed in their Conference, the East. The Rockets will aim to win their second straight tonight, while dealing Brooklyn their fifth straight loss. The Nets lost last night in New Orleans to the Pelicans, so Houston has the rest advantage tonight. The Rockets need to take full advantage of this tired Brooklyn team. Tonight marks the end of of a three-game road-trip for the Nets. Houston wants to make sure the Nets’ last stop is by no means the easiest.

After starting the season 11-1 at Toyota Center, the Rockets are 2-3 over their past five home games. The squad needs to protect home-court against a Nets team they should beat tonight. With a 16-15 record, Houston has a chance to distance themselves and move farther up the standings with a win. Tonight’s matchup is very important, as the Rockets home-stand ends with a very difficult back-to-back over the weekend. A win tonight would ensure Houston stays at least within the realms of .500 during this home-stand. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson will be the biggest threats tonight against the Rockets. Spencer Dinwiddie and Nic Claxton could also be poised to have strong evenings. Despite their record, this Brooklyn team plays hard, and Houston cannot beat themselves if they want to win this matchup.

The Rockets desperately need to get off to a fast start, especially on the defensive end. After having one of the most dominant defenses in the league for most of the season, Houston’s defense has slipped over the past several games. Despite winning by 23 points, Houston still gave up 113 points to Detroit in an offensive-fueled battle. The Rockets offense has been stellar lately, but their defense has slacked in comparison. Houston has the greatest chance to win when they allow their opponents to score no more than 110 points. If more points allowed, Houston’s usually in a shootout that won’t win. The 3-30 Pistons were an anomaly to that trend. The Rockets need to tighten up their defense tonight… as they aim to stay undefeated in 2024.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Brooklyn Nets (15-19):  White

Houston Rockets (16-15):  Black

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Cruise Past Pistons, 136-113, Snap Skid to Start New Year

Fresh Start.    Third Quarter Liftoff.    Building Chemistry.

The Rockets started 2024 with a fresh start, dismantling the Pistons, 136-113, on New Year’s Day. The win snaps Houston’s three-game losing streak, and puts the squad one game over .500 (16-15) in the standings. Alperen Sengun overcame a slow start to lead the Rockets with 26 points and 9 assists. Jalen Green also continued his run of recent strong performances, scoring 22 points on 50% shooting, including going 5-for-9 beyond the arc. Green’s bounced back with three strong games in a row after being mired in the worst slump of his career earlier this season. Tari Eason is making a strong case for the NBA’s 6th Man of the Year Award. Eason scored 17 points to go along with his usual tenacity and energy off the bench. Jae’Sean Tate provided 16 points, as he’s quietly having a very efficient season for Houston. And Cam “Slam” Whitmore saw another slice of court action, scoring 9 points and grabbing 4 boards in only 8 minutes of playing time. In then first ever “Twin Game” between the Thompson brothers, Amen outplayed Detroit’s Ausar, arguably putting together his best game of the season. Amen Thompson finished with a season-high 12 points, 4 boards, and 6 assists in 28 minutes of action, the most playing time he’s seen in his career.

Despite the final score, this game was actually close and contested in the first half. The Rockets entered halftime holding only a four-point edge. However, the third quarter was Houston’s best of the season. Sengun and Green dominated the frame en route to outscoring Detroit 47-25 in the period. The 47 points were 2 shy of the franchise record for points in a period. After the Pistons’ Jalen Duren received his fourth foul, that’s when the Rockets started their run. Duren is one the strongest men in the league, and gave Sengun trouble in the first half. Once Sengun got him into foul trouble, The Wizard and Jalen Green out on a third-quarter show, exemplifying the appearance of this squad when they reach their potential.

With Sengun and Green starting to click, Houston has added another dynamic to their offense. If Green can continue his strong play and build chemistry with Sengun, the Rockets will improve exponentially. Sengun already has great chemistry with Fred VanVleet on the floor. If Houston’s two centerpieces can build on this bond, the Rockets can potentially sneak into the playoffs this season. The squad will now look to build on this victory, as they host the reeling Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. it’s the fifth game of this seven-game home-stand. The remaining two matchups are against elite competition, featuring Milwaukee and Minnesota. Houston desperately needs to earn the win tonight to stay afloat and remain within striking distance of a playoff spot. Currently in 9th place in the Western Conference, the Rockets can climb up and make some noise in the standings by stringing some wins together to begin the new year.

Rockets Aim to Snap Losing Streak, Host Lowly Pistons

New Leaf.    Twin Night.    Record Lows.

The Rockets kick-off 2024 by hosting the Detroit Pistons for a New Year’s Day matchup at Toyota Center. Detroit snapped their NBA-record 28-game losing streak on Saturday, as they beat the undermanned Toronto Raptors at home. The game before that, Detroit narrowly lost to the Boston Celtics on the road in overtime. They recently got their sophomore stud big man, Jalen Duren, back from an injury, and he’s made a difference and been a big reason the Pistons have turned the corner over their last two games. Houston needs to be ready for a Detroit team that is better than their lowly 3-29 record. The Pistons still have some young, talented players the Rockets will need to contend with if they want to snap their own three-game losing streak. And it’s time to snap this skid. After a dominant start at Toyota Center, Houston’s last three losses have all come at home. It’s time the squad turns a new leaf and embraces the remaining four games left on this home-stand.

Besides Duren, Detroit has Cade Cunningham, who went first when Jalen Green went second in the 2021 NBA Draft. Green should always be extra motivated to play against the lone team that passed on him in the draft a few years ago. After injury problems slowed the start of his career, Cunningham is beginning to show why he was the number one overall pick in that draft class. He’s shown signs of All-Star potential, and the Rockets need to be ready for the rising guard. Detroit’s point guard, Jaden Ivey is having somewhat of a breakout season. The young guard will be another headache the Pistons present this evening. And then there’s Ausar Thompson, the twin brother of Amen Thompson. Amen went fourth to the Rockets, and Ausar as selected directly afterward, going fifth to the Pistons. While Amen Thompson has had to fight through early injury issues, and navigating a role on this deep Houston roster, Ausar got off to a fast start for the Pistons. He’s starting to hit the rookie wall over his last few games, but he’s so far the better of the two brothers, as he’s had more playing time and experience. Amen was sidelined for several weeks after getting injured in only the fifth game of the season. The twins will likely be extra hyped and excited to compete against one another tonight. Toyota Center is even giving out a dual “Twin Bobblehead” featuring the twins next to each other to commemorate the event. The Thompsons were former teammates in the G-League, but now they’ll be playing against each other in the most competitive league in the world.

The Houston Rockets are currently riding a three-game losing streak, tied for their longest of the season. In fact, all of Houston’s losses have come during a three-game skid this season. They’ve had five three-game losing streaks this campaign. The good news is, they haven’t lost four straight games. The Rockets need to treat the Pistons with respect, and forget about their record. This is still a professional team Houston is facing on the other side of the court tonight. It seems like weeks since the squad’s put together a solid defensive outing. Expect the Rockets to get back on track against theses Pistons, and avoid a record low losing streak for this season.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Detroit Pistons (3-29):  Black

Houston Rockets (15-15):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fizzle Late in 131-127 Loss to 76ers

Close the Show.    Missing Pieces.    Turn the Page.

Houston led by as many as eleven points on Friday night, and at one point seemed poised to snap their two game skid. Philly’s Tyrese Maxey had other plans, as he scored 42 points to help the Sixers deal the Rockets a 131-127 loss over the weekend. The defeat is Houston’s third straight. In a very odd statistic, the Rockets have lost all their games in groups of three. They haven’t had a losing streak over three games, but they’ve had several three game skids. Houston’s latest loss was unfortunate and frustrating. The Rockets played a Sixers team minus the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid, yet Houston failed to capitalize on his absence. The squad even had three guys (VanVleet, Green. and Sengun) score at least 28 points. But the Rockets just couldn’t stop Maxey, nor hold their second-half lead, as the Sixers fended off Houston in the final moments of the contest.

Fred VavVleet led the Rockets with 33 points. Jalen Green scored 31 in his second consecutive solid outing. And Alperen Sengun added 28 as he continues his push for an All-Star bid this season. Losing games like Friday against Philly won’t help Sengun’s All-Star chances. Houston is now 2-6 in their last eight games. They need to snap out of their funk, and they need to find a way without Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. who were both sorely missed in the loss to the Sixers. There’s no timetable for either player’s return to action, although neither injury is considered serious. They’ll be back, but for now, the Rockets need to learn how to close the show. Houston held a double-digit second half lead, but once again they surrendered their advantage, as the defense continues to be porous for this Rockets team. the majority of Houston’s wins have come in games around the 100-110 mark. The Rockets are best when their defensive intensity is at its highest, and when the squad lets opponents score 120 or more points, it’s usually a recipe for a Houston loss.

This was the final game of 2023 for the Rockets, who will now have the rare two days off, before starting 2024 with a New Year’s Day matchup against the Pistons. Detroit recently broke their NBA-record 28-game losing streak, defeating the short-handed Toronto Raptors in their previous game on Saturday. Houston will aim to avoid what would be their worst loss of the season, as they host the Pistons on Monday with a chance to snap their own three-game skid. Despite not having Embiid, the Sixers showed why they’re one of the best teams in the NBA this season. Detroit won’t present the same challenge, but the Rockets need to still show them the proper respect. Houston needs to turn the page on 2023, which is officially in the books. Hopefully, the Rockets can regain that swagger they had earlier this season to start the new year.