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Rockets Aim to Clinch Group in Tilt with Timberwolves

Game Three.    Clinch Time.    Darlings Hangover.     

After two days off, the Rockets travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves in Houston’s third NBA Cup Game. The Rockets can clinch their Group with a win tonight over the Wolves. After making it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, last year’s “darlings” of the NBA are suffering a bit of a hangover to start this season. Minnesota is currently 8-8 in the standings, which has them in the 11th spot, compared to Houston, who still sit at third place in the West.

The Wolves still have plenty of All-Star talent on their roster, including newcomer Julius Randle, who they acquired by trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in the offseason. Anthony Edwards is still one of the best young superstars in the league. Rudy Gobert remains a Stifle Tower in the paint, and is having another Defensive Player of the Year caliber season. And rookie guard Rob Dillingham scored 14 points in only 16 minutes off the bench in their last game, a tough two-point loss to the defending champion Celtics in Boston. Basically, this Wolves team is much better than their 8-8 record implies. If the Rockets aren’t ready from the start, they could be in trouble tonight.

Besides a chance to clinch a spot in the NBA Cup’s knockout round, Houston wants to avenge their previous loss. The Rockets fell to the Portland Trail Blazers at home. Houston played sluggish in a game they could have won had they prepared themselves mentally. Expect the Rockets to come out better tonight. They’re still struggling to shoot the ball. Last game ended Houston’s league-high streak of games scoring at least 100 or more points. The Rockets mustered only 98 points in their previous matchup. Luckily, defensive intensity has been one of Houston’s best attributes this season. Their defense is the reason the Rockets boast a 12-6 record to start the season. And that D will be tested tonight against a very talented, and hungry Timberwolves squad. 

If Houston wins tonight they clinch a spot in the NBA Cup’s knockout round. And if the Wolves lose, they’re eliminated. A Minnesota win would keep them alive for a chance to advance. A lot is on the line tonight, as the Rockets aim to clinch their group, and eliminate the Wolves from any potential Vegas festivities. Expect a close contest that will likely be decided in crunch time, with a playoff-like atmosphere surrounding the proceedings.

 

Target Center:  Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (12-6):  White

Minnesota Timberwolves (8-8):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Sluggish Play Dooms Rockets in 104-98 Loss to Trail Blazers

Schedule Loss?    No Gray Area.    Breather.

For only the second time all season, the Rockets fell to a team with a losing record at home. Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe combined for 71 points as Houston lost to Portland, 104-98, on Saturday night. The defeat snaps Houston’s seven game home winning streak. It’s also the end of a rough stretch that consisted of five games in seven nights for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun scored 22 points to lead Houston, and Amen Thompson provided 19 points off the bench, but the Rockets ran out of gas in clutch time. Granted, there were certainly a few questionable calls, per usual for any game at Toyota Center. Fred VanVleet was ejected near the end of the contest for arguing with officials. FVV had a chance to tie the game in the final minute. Instead of being patient and trying to find a good shot, VanVleet tried to draw a foul and air-balled it from distance, essentially ending Houston’s chances at victory.

This was the second half of a back-to-back for the Rockets, and their fifth game in seven nights. But the Trail Blazers played last night too. And Houston had the homeport advantage, which makes this loss harder to stomach for the Rockets’ coaching staff. Portland came out from the opening tip with more energy. Despite this,  Houston had a chance to win, but their lackluster start had them clawing away tirelessly for nearly the entire game. The squad appeared gassed in the final minutes, as this matchup ended a congested portion of the schedule for the Rockets. One could call it a schedule loss, but these are the type of games Championship contenders win. And Houston isn’t quite on that level yet. They’ve made vast, solid improvements this season, but they’ll need to fix one issue if this team wants to be considered among the elites.

Houston, we have a Jalen Green problem. After a scorching start over his first five games, Green has regressed to the a slight improvement over the player we saw last year. This season, Green’s defense and clutch play has improved, but he’s still frustratingly inefficient. To the point of nearly driving a coach insane. He shot only 3-for-14 in Saturday night’s loss, including an abysmal 1-for-9 from beyond the arc en route to only 10 points. In his fourth season, the clock is ticking for Green. He will either go down as the greatest case study of all time for the merits in patience in player development and non-linear progression, or possibly the biggest bust in franchise history. There’s no a gray area for Green if he can’t develop some consistency. Some nights he looks like a legitimate future All-Star in this league. However, those games are the rarity. If Green can’t produce on a consistent level, expect to hear his name in possible trade discussions. That’s if Houston can find a way to move him without breaking up their young core. Everyone on this squad knows their role, and Green is the outlier when it comes to efficiency. Like any player, certain Rockets will have bad games, but Green is under a different spotlight. After signing a three-year deal in the offseason, one could at least hope for a breakout-season, at least one in the corridors of efficiency. But Green hasn’t shown that after his solid five game start. He’s regressed to taking bad shots from long range, and doesn’t rely on his athleticism. If Green attacks the basket more often, his success will rise. If he continues to settle, the Rockets will need to ponder if they want to continue to settle with his shenanigans.

After playing five games in seven nights, Houston gets a breather of sorts with two days off before their next contest. This is a tough loss to swallow, but the Rockets are still third in the Western Conference standings. And in their next matchup they can clinch their NBA Cup Group with a win in Minnesota over the Timberwolves. It’ll be the first of another back-to-back for Houston, as they’ll play the 76ers in Philly on Wednesday night. Hopefully this two-day break helps the Rockets prepare for a tough battle in Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Rockets Battle Trail Blazers in Saturday Night Rematch

Broom Night.    Trap Dodgers.    Embrace the Grind.

The Rockets face the Portland Trail Blazers once again at Toyota Center in a Saturday night rematch. Houston dismantled Portland, 116-88, on Friday night. No Rocket player saw more than 30 minutes of action, as the squad was able to rest for the second half of this two-game set tonight. Houston should be able to win this contest as easily as they did last night.

Jerami Grant is questionable for the Blazers and Steven Adams won’t play tonight for the Rockets. This has the inklings of a “Trap Game” for Houston. Tonight’s matchup culminates a busy stretch in the schedule for the Rockets, this is the squad’s fifth game in seven nights. And they just clobbered this same Portland team last night. The Rockets need to embrace the grind, and put the Blazers away early like they did on Friday. Jalen Green got off to a solid start last night, but then jacked up poor shots to bring his efficiency down. Expect Alperen Sengun to be more of a factor in tonight’s contest with Adams sitting out. Sengun wasn’t really needed in last night’s blowout win. The Wizard will be called upon for more of his usual court tricks tonight if the Rockets want to continue their winning ways at home.

Houston is seeking their eighth straight home win tonight. The Rockets are 8-2 at home to start the season, compared to 4-3 away from Toyota Center. After tonight, five of Houston’s next six games are on the road, and the schedule toughens up as we near the end of NBA Cup Group Play. The Rockets currently sit in their place in the Western Conference, a spot no one expected them to be at this season. It’s still early, but Houston has been one of surprises of the entire NBA this season. It shouldn’t be as shocking to Rocket fans. Houston had sightings of this potential last year, as we witnessed the Rockets suffer too many nail-biting losses to count, and a strong overall finish to last season.

As long as the Rockets can continue to stay mentally tough, and take their opponent seriously, they should be able to deal the Blazers another loss tonight, and sweep this two-game set at Toyota Center. Being the fifth game in seven days for Houston, the Rockets may be more fatigued tonight, but they should have enough energy to beat a less-talented Portland team.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trail Blazers (6-10):  Black

Houston Rockets (12-5):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Scorch Trail Blazers, 116-88, for Second NBA Cup Win

First Place.    Two for Two.    Mentally Trill.

Despite allowing the Portland to score the first 8 points, Houston easily dispatched the Blazers, 116-88, on Friday night. The win gives the Rockets their second NBA Cup victory and moves them ahead into sole possession of first place in West Group A. Houston has now won seven in a row at home, and nine of their last eleven games overall. If the Rockets can win one of their two remaining NBA Cup Games (at Minnesota on November 26th, and at Sacramento on December 3rd) they should be able to advance to the knockout round. The Sacramento Kings are 0-2 to start NBA Cup Group Play. The other three teams in Houston’s group (L.A. Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Minnesota Timberwolves) all split their first two games and sit at 1-1 in the group standings.

Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 28 points, including a career-high tying six three-pointers. Brooks scored 16 points in the third quarter as the Rockets distanced themselves from the Blazers to make the fourth quarter officially garbage time. Houston had another balanced scoring attack. Tari Eason scored 22 points off the bench, as he continues to make a serious case for Sixth Man of the Year. Jalen Green scored 17 points on another meh shooting night. He did have another highlight-worthy dunk in the first half, but Green has a bad habit of taking tough shots after getting off to a good start. It’s the root cause of his efficiency problem. Alperen Sengun added 14 points and 8 boards, but his services weren’t needed per usual in this easy blowout win for the Rockets. Amen Thomson had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench, as the Terror Twins were up to their usual destructive antics, wreaking havoc against Portland on the court. No Blazers player scored over 13 points, as Houston’s defense was suffocating throughout the contest. The Rockets have one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and the league’s starting to take notice.

These same tow teams will square-off for a rematch tomorrow night back at Toyota Center. It’s tough to beat the same team twice in a row, but Houston already managed that feat against the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season in their first NBA Cup win. Being at home, the Rockets should have the advantage in the rematch. As long as Ime Udoka keeps his troops mentally trill, Houston should be able to sweep the two-game set on Saturday night. After a mental letdown in their season opener to the Charlotte Hornets, the Rockets haven’t suffered any bad losses (which I define as home losses to teams with losing records). Houston is now 11-3 since their 1-2 start, and 9-2 in their last eleven games. As long as the Rockets keep taking care of business, and beating the teams they’re supposed to, they should continue to stay near the top of the standings in the Western Conference.

Rockets Host Trail Blazers in Second NBA Cup Game

Game Two.    Twice as Nights.    Cup Leaders.

It’s NBA Cup time again. The Rockets host the Portland Trail Blazers for the first of two straight games at Toyota Center. But tonight’s matchup counts in regards of determining ultimately which teams go to Las Vegas for the knockout round. Houston and Portland are both 1-0, with the Rockets holding a higher point differential for the tie-breaker. Whoever wins tonight’s matchup will be in first place all by themselves. Houston has the advantage in that they’re home, and they simply have the better basketball team. But that doesn’t mean these couple of matchups with the Blazers will be easy.

Portland Head Coach Chauncey Billups has these Blazers playing much better than last season. Shaedon Sharpe is emerging as a star. Scoot Henderson is improving in his second season. Rookie Donovan Clingan is off to a solid start. And Jerami Grant is currently their best player. The Rockets went 3-1 against the Blazers last season, but the loss was a heartbreaker at home, one of the worst defeats of the entire season last year. Houston will try to redeem that loss with a sweep this weekend.

It’s hard to beat the same team twice in a row, but the Rockets already did that against the Los Angeles Clippers at home. They certainly can beat a lesser-talented Portland team. They’ll have to stay disciplined to beat them twice in a row. These Blazers play hard and don’t beat themselves. Dalano Balton played extremely well against the Rockets last season, and could be an X-Factor in determining the result of tonight’s contest.

Alperen Sengun has been rolling for Houston lately. It would be great to see Jalen Green hop on the same train. Green’s trended back towards his inefficient was after a hot start to the season. Get ready for another very red, blood-soaked looking basketball court. And tonight’s matchup should be closer than expected. The Rockets are going for their seventh straight win at home tonight, but this Portland team will sneak up and beat opponents who take them lightly. Houston needs to get off to a fast start and put away the Blazers early so they can rest for the rematch tomorrow night.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trail Blazers (6-9):  White

Houston Rockets (11-5):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fly Past Pacers, 130-113, Win 6th Straight at Home

Home Domination.    Rising Center.    Complete Game.

Alperen Sengun scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, as the Houston Rockets raced past the Pacers for an easy 130-113 win on Wednesday night. The victory gives Houston their sixth straight win at home, and the Rockets will have two more coming up this weekend at Toyota Center. After losing to Golden State in overtime, the Rockets have been dominant at home, and haven’t lost a game since. Jabari Smith Jr. had another solid performance, scoring 23 points and adding 8 boards. Fred VanVleet scored 18 points and dished out 6 assists. And Tari Eason scored 11 points in addition to 9 rebounds and a ridiculous 6 steals off the bench.

With the win, Houston improves to 11-5 on the season, and currently sits alone in third place in the Western Conference standings. After a slow start, Sengun is finding his All-Star caliber form from last year. And after a fast start, Jalen Green has sadly regressed to a slightly improved version of last year’s player. The inconsistency is still the biggest reason Green isn’t an all-out star in this league. Back to this contest, the Rockets were in control for the majority of the game, and the Pacers never really threatened to win this matchup. Little-know Quenton Jackson had the best game of his NBA career, leading the Pacers in scoring with 24 points.

Many Rockets legends from the past, most notably the Championship teams from 94 and 95 were present and honored throughout the game. It was nice to see so many Rocket legends who helped secure the city’s first major professional sports championship together again. Hopefully current members of the Rockets roster will one day be considered Houston legends themselves. Only time will tell. For now, the Rockets need to continue playing great on the defensive end. Houston is 8-2 in their last 10 games, and that’s primarily because of their defense. The squad is still struggling to shoot the ball on offense.

Up next, the Rockets will host the Portland Trail Blazers for two straight games in consecutive nights. The first game will be an NBA Cup game, and the second for both teams. Houston has a decent chance to win their group if they can beat the Blazers on Friday in the first of two tilts at Toyota Center. The Rockets should really be aiming to sweep both games, and continue their climb up the West standings.

Rockets Aim to Bounce Back, Return Home to Host Pacers

Hometown Heroes.    New Threads.    First of Three.

 

After a heartbreaking loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, the  Houston Rockets return home to host the Indiana Pacers. Houston is aiming for its sixth consecutive win at Toyota Center tonight. The Rockets have been excellent at protecting home court after a rough start. They’ll look to continue that trend on Monday night against a Pacers team that’s off to a slow start this season.

Indiana is 6-8 on the year so far, but they still boast plenty of talented players. Tyrese Haliburton is one of the premier guard in the NBA. Pascal Siakam is a versatile All-Star forward, and Bennedict Mathurin has been unleashed this season. Mathurin’s insertion into the starting lineup has the third year guard playing at the highest level of his career. Expect him to be a problem on the perimeter for Houston tonight.

The Rockets will be wearing their new “city edition” uniforms for the first time on Wednesday night. It’s been thirty years since the Houston Rockets last won a championship. These jerseys pay homage to the Championship team of 94/95 that won back-to-back titles.

Tonight’s game is the first of three straight at home for the Rockets, who will next play the Portland Trail Blazers in consecutive nights on Friday and Saturday at Toyota Center. All three games are winnable, but the Pacers are a better squad than Portland, with more experienced and talented players.

Houston should win this matchup as long as they continue to play disciplined basketball mixed with hard defense. The Rockets have struggled shooting the ball so far to start this season. It’s been their Achilles’ heal. However, they’ve been one of the best teams in terms of hustle and defense. Expect another healthy dose of the “Terror Twins.” Coming off the crushing loss in Milwaukee, Ime Udoka should have his guys ready to go tonight against a weaker Indiana Pacers ball club.

These are the kind of games Houston has to win if they want to really make noise in the Western Conference standings. Home matchups against bad Eastern Conference teams. With a record of 10-5, the Rockets currently sit in fourth place out West. Most of Houston’s games have been close to start the season. Expect that trend to continue tonight… along with the Rockets’ winning streak at home.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Indiana Pacers (6-8):  Navy

Houston Rockets (10-5):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Suffer Heartbreaking 101-100 Loss to Bucks

No Cigar.    Swing Game.    Back Home.

Damian Lillard hit a layup with 2.0 seconds remaining, as the Houston Rockets lost a heartbreaker, 101-100, to the Bucks on Monday night. On the final play, Head Coach Ime Udoka drew up a beautiful play, but Fred VanVleet overthrew the pass to Alperen Sengun, who was wide open in the paint as defenders focused on Jalen Green. It’s a tough loss for the Rockets, but Milwaukee is much better than their 5-9 record. The Bucks will likely a force to contend with in the East once again this season. The loss snaps Houston’s five-game winning streak, and now gives the Rockets a 10-5 record. This was a game of swings. The Rockets jumped out to an early lead, the Bucks stormed back to lead by a dozen at halftime. Houston came back and had the lead late in the fourth quarter, 100-94, but Milwaukee scored the final seven points to earn the win.

Fred VanVleet scored 17 of his team-high 26 points in the third quarter, as he provided the spark to ignite the Rockets comeback. After a slow start to the game, Jalen Green scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, and was the decoy on the final play. A better pass from FVV and Houston would’ve likely won this matchup. Alperen Sengun finished with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. And Tari Eason had a monstrous effort performance off the bench. Eason contributed 9 points, 14 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks, incredibly impressive hustle stats for a reserve. But that’s what Tari does. The other half of the “Terror Twins,” Amen Thompson, scored 10 points and grabbed 7 boards on the evening. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Brook Lopez combined to scored 66 of Milwaukee’s 101 points.

Even with the loss, the Rockets kept their streak of scoring 100 plus points alive, which is the longest current streak in the NBA. Houston’s defense was excellent, but the Rockets once again struggled with their shot. The squad had three guys (FVV, Green, Sengun) combine to take nearly 70 shots. This team is more successful when the shots and scoring is more balanced. Regardless, Houston still outplayed the Bucks, and should’ve escaped Milwaukee with an impressive win. Every loss for the Rockets this season besides the blowout in Oklahoma City to the Thunder has been in heartbreaking fashion. Add this latest one points loss in Milwaukee to the list. Along with an overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors. And heartbreaking close losses to the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs. Games Houston knows they could have won.

Up next, the Rockets will now return to Toyota Center for three straight games starting with a matchup with the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Houston has won five straight matchups at home. They’ll aim to make it six in a row against a  Pacers team that’s gotten off to a slow start, much like every team in the Eastern Conference, besides the Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics. It’s time for the Rockets to move on from this tough loss, and get back to some home cookin’ in front of the fans at Toyota Center.

Rockets and Bucks Collide in the Mean Streets of Milwaukee

Deep Water.    No Headlights.    Litmus Test.

Aiming for their sixth straight win, the Rockets close their Great Lakes road-trip with a visit to Milwaukee to face the Bucks. Houston is coming off a 143-107 blowout victory in Chicago over the Bulls last night. Milwaukee has had a night of rest, but the Rockets were able to somewhat rest their guys, as no starter played more than 28 minutes in Chi-Town. A key component for this stretch in the schedule for Houston. Tonight’s match is the second of five games in seven nights for the Rockets. They blasted off to a great start in Chicago, but the proceedings won’t be as easy in the mean streets of Milwaukee.

The Bucks are off to a disappointing 4-9 start to the season, but don’t let their record fool you. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still one of the best players in the world. The Great Freak is averaging 32.9 PPG, 12.3 RPG, and 6.1 APG this season. Damian Lillard has missed Milwaukee’s last three games, but of course, right on schedule, he’s expected to make his return tonight against the Rockets. Lillard has been a certified Rocket-killer dating back to his days with the Portland Trail Blazers. And Giannis also usually seems to play well against Houston. In his last game against the Rockets, the Greek Freak scored 48 points on 16-for-25 shooting, and grabbed 17 rebounds. Houston’s key to victory is minimizing Giannis’ transition opportunities, and keeping him out of the paint. The Rockets need to build a defensive wall of sorts to force Giannis to shoot jumpers. Expect to see a heavy dose of the Terror Twins (Amen Thompson and Tari Eason) on the court tonight for Houston.

Milwaukee has other players who can do damage tonight besides their two superstars. Bobby Portis Jr. always seems to play well against the Rockets, and despite coming off the bench, “Crazy Eyes” performs like an All-Star when he faces Houston. And Brook Lopez is always capable of scoring 30 points on any given night. It’s the perfect time for Alperen Sengun to record a third straight triple-double, but that’s wishful thinking. Ignore the Bucks 4-9 record. These Bucks won’t be playing like deer in headlights tonight. The Rockets are in deep water tonight if they come out of the gates slow. Milwaukee has three players (Lillard, Giannis, and Portis Jr.) who are used to having huge games when they meet Houston. Lillard has the most history, and given he’s returning from a three-game absence in front of the home fans, expect Dame Dolla to have another explosive performance against the Rockets and energize the Milwaukee crowd.

Tonight’s tilt is a litmus test of sorts to see if this Houston team is for real, and if they’re as good as their 10-4 record states. The Rockets are in the midst of a brutal stretch in the schedule. Not only is this contest a back-to-back, but it’s the second of five games in seven nights for Houston. The Bucks are desperate to get back on the winning track. Milwaukee is coming off a tough one-point road loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. The Rockets have shown true growth from last year to the beginning of this season. After a rough 1-2 start, Houston is 9-2 over their last 11 games, with both losses coming to the two teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings (Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder). The Rockets didn’t win their sixth road game last year until well into the season. Road struggles were a theme last season for Houston, but this Rockets team is different. Houston shoots for seventh heaven on the road, as they aim to improve to 7-2 away from Toyota Center with a win over the Bucks tonight. This matchup is also the first nationally televised (NBA TV) game the Rockets have played in this season. And both teams have things to prove in tis contest. The Bucks want to prove they’re not a joke. The Rockets want to show everyone that they are for real. After a few blowouts, expect a much closer and contested matchup in the mean streets of Milwaukee on Monday night.

 

Fiserv Forum:  Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-4):  White

Milwaukee Bucks (4-9):  Green

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA TV

Rockets Race Past Bulls, 143-107, For Fifth Straight Win

Painting the Way.    Room for Rest.    Dime Carryover.

Houston held a slim one point lead, 27-26, after the first quarter in Chicago on Monday night. Once the second quarter began, the Rockets blasted off, outscoring the Bulls by 35 points the rest of the way en route to a 143-107 win on Sunday night. The victory is Houston’s fifth in a row, and the Rockets are now 9-2 since losing two of their first three games to start the season. Houston dominated Chicago in the interior, as the Rockets scored a whopping 80 points in the paint. It’s only the fourth time in the franchise’s history that they’ve scored 80 paint points. Granted, the Bulls are a terrible defensive team, but the Rockets took advantage on the way to a much-need easy victory on the first part of a back-to-back.

Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 28 points, and sparked Houston’s run in the second quarter that distanced the Rockets from the Bulls. FVV also had 7 rebounds and assists apiece, as the point guard’s play continues to return to last season’s form after he sat out one game to nurse an injury. Alperen Sengun notched his second consecutive triple-double on the season. Houston’s All-Star caliber center finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, to go along with 2 blocks in a dominant performance.

All five starters, along with Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, scored in double figures for the Rockets. Sheppard had the best game of his young career. The rookie finished with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Tari Eason scored only 4 points, but he wasn’t needed like usual, as Houston was in cruise control of this game from the midway point of the second frame. Given this was the first of a back-to-back, the Rockets took care of business early, helping themselves for a much tougher matchup coming up on Monday night. Ime Udoka was able to let the end of his bench loose in the fourth quarter, and no starter played more than 28 minutes of action.

The Rockets grabbed a season-high 66 rebounds, and dished out a season-high 34 assists. Houston absolutely dominated Chicago after the first period. The squad has been moving the ball well during this win streak. They’ll need to continue the trend if they want to beat a much better Bucks team tomorrow night in Milwaukee. The Rockets scored 32 fast-break points against the Bulls, doubling them up (32-15) in transition.

Houston now moves to 10-4 on the season. The Rockets currently have the NBA’s fifth-best record, but will be tested against a Bucks team trying to snap out of a slow start. Milwaukee is off to a rough 4-9 to start the season. But they’ll be getting Rocket-killer Damian Lillard back after he missed three games with a concussion. And they have Giannis, who dominated Houston in the last matchup. Expect a much slimmer final score tomorrow night, as the Rockets shoot for the sixth straight win to close this quick Great Lakes road-trip.