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Rockets Weather Storm, Edge Thunder, 112-106

Better by the Dozen.    Hard Hats and Lunch Pails.    Deja Gordon.

For the second straight game, Eric Gordon notched a season-high, scoring 25 points, as the Rockets staved off the Thunder, 112-106, for their second consecutive victory. EG led Houston with 25 points, but it was Tari Eason’s hustle and determination that was at the heart of this victory. Eason had a career-high 20 points, and 13 rebounds, including 12 on the offensive glass. Tari was a beast on the boards all night, even grabbing four offensive rebounds on a single possession. Eason provided his third straight double-double on Wednesday night. The Rockets managed to survive once again without their starting backcourt, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., once again. KJ Martin finished with 18 points and 7 boards, as he’s slowly becoming the most consistent Rockets player this season. KJ’s evolution from fighting for a rotation spot, to being a key piece of this Houston team, is the best story of this grim season for the Rockets.

Including the victory in Detroit, the Rockets have been playing much harder basketball. Strapped with their hard hats and lunch pails, this team has been playing with an edge unforeseen from the squad this season. Houston even managed to contain one of the NBA’s hottest players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA was held to 24 points, 6 below his average of 30 a night. The Rockets did a great job of not allowing him to explode for a big game.

Eric Gordon has consistently been a solid veteran presence for this young Rockets squad. With Green and KPJ still out, EG has picked up the scoring slack, as he’s led the team in scoring the past two games. Up next, Houston welcomes the Toronto Raptors to town on Friday night. The Dinos are on on the outside-looking in at the playoffs in the East, but they’re not far from sneaking in. Expect a much tougher game for the Rockets on Friday night.

Rockets Aiming to Build Off Previous Win, Host Thunder

Rested and Ready.    Incoming Storm.    Rising Stars.

Fresh off a rare victory, only their 12th of the season, the Rockets return home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. OKC is one of the surprise stories of the season. Most people expected them to be alongside Houston in the Wemby Sweepstakes this summer. Although, the Thunder have surpassed expectations, and sit just outside the final Play-In Spot in the Western Conference. Their improvement is due almost completely to Shai Gilegeous-Alexander, commonly known as “SGA”, who is having a breakout Superstar season. If the Thunder had a winning record, and were higher up in the standings, SGA would be the MVP. Take a look a this OKC roster, and it’s shocking they’re at 24-26 on the season. In my opinion, SGA is more valuable to this Thunder team than any single NBA player is to their team in the entire league. The players who will be participating in the NBA’s Jordan Rising Stars at All-Star Break were announced on Tuesday, and this matchup features five members. For Houston, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. were named to the pool of players. OKC’s Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams were selected as contestants. Wednesday’s catchup features a plethora of some of the league’s longest talent. Along with these young players in the Rising Stars game, at age 24, SGA is one of the best young superstars in the NBA. He’s been playing at an MVP-caliber level all season long for the Thunder.

The Rockets are rested and ready. Well, they should be. Houston has had a nice and long three days off since their victory in Detroit over the weekend. The Thunder are coming off a tough loss at home to the Warriors, and sit only a game behind the Utah Jazz for the final Play-In Spot. Alperen Sengun is returning for the Rockets after missing the previous game in Detroit. Kevin Porter Jr. is still without a timetable for a return from his injury. And Jalen Green also remains out for Wednesday’s matchup with a thigh contusion that he suffered in Thursday’s loss to the Cavaliers. Houston will still be undermanned, but the return of Sengun is a good sign. They get a starter and playmaker back. Sengun is the best passer on the team, and if the Rockets run the offense through him, and use Sengun like an offensive hub, they have a great chance to upset the upstart Thunder on Wednesday night.

Houston actually won the first matchup between these teams, 118-105, at Toyota Center, back on November 26th. The Rockets will try and repeat that result as the teams square off in Houston for the final time, followed by two matchups in the near future in OKC before the All-Star Break to close the season series. The squad has had plenty of time off to get over the “Winner’s Hangover” Houston has suffered all season long. The Rockets have struggled mightily to win twice in a row all season. Can the return of Sengun give Houston the jolt they need to upset the Thunder? The squad has a decent chance in what should be an entertaining game featuring a handful of the game’s rising stars.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Oklahoma City Thunder (24-26):  Blue

Houston Rockets (12-38):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Escape Detroit with Narrow 117-114 Win Over Pistons

Revved Up.    The Lucas Show.    Hustle & Hard Work.

Houston trailed by 3 points entering the final period on Saturday night. After witnessing so many of these close games evolve into blowouts, the Rockets finally broke the trend, and stormed back to win a nail-biter, 117-114, over the Pistons. The win is Houston’s 5th road win of the year, and 12th overall on the season. Coming into Detroit, the Rockets were missing three starters and severely shorthanded. Fortunately, the squad had tremendous performances from Eric Gordon, KJ Martin, and Tari Eason, among others. EG led Houston with 24 points and 7 assists. KJ Martin had some clutch plays in the final minutes to help secure a Rockets victory. K-Mart finished an impressive 15-point, 13-rebound double-double on the evening. Tari Eason also had a double-double, putting together an impressive 16 point, 10-rebound outing. Houston were without arguably their three best players (Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Porter Jr.) due to injuries, but the squad found ways to get the job done in the Motor City. Many from hustle and hard work ethic. It’s simple, but the Rockets played harder than the Pistons, especially down the stretch, the garner this road victory.

Stephen Silas wasn’t in the building for this game, as he was attending a memorial service for his father, Paul Silas. However, Houston had the right man ready to take the coaching reigns. Another John Lucas Production, another Houston Rockets victory. The Rockets are now 2-0 when Lucas is the Acting Head Coach. They played a last-place Detroit team in their latest win, but they were down three starters, and it was on the road. For some reason, Houston seems to play harder under Lucas. The veteran assistant is the ultimate Players’ Coach, and seems to get more accountability out of this Houston roster than Silas. It’s only a small sample display, but the players sure respond when he’s leading the locker room. I have nothing against Silas, but sooner or later, the Rockets have to win more games when he’s leading the team. Maybe this victory spurs Houston to more wins during the final 32 games of the season.

“I would say 98% of this win cam from hustle and hard work,” Lucas said postgame on Saturday night. And he was exactly right. The Rockets were undermanned, but they competed as hard as we’ve seen all season. If Houston can ignore their record, the win is nice, but the Rockets are still comfortably in last place in the West, with a 12-38 record. They’ll be in the Victor Wembanyama Sweepstakes this summer, but they need to finish the season playing with the effort they displayed in Detroit. Houston won’t win many games regardless, but if they play hard, and truly try and improve as a team, they can potentially win a little over 20 games. 20 victories still keeps the Rockets with one of the worst records in the league, something they’ve all but guaranteed. And 20 wins is a stretch. Houston will have to play much better basketball than they did over their first 50 games of the season to reach 20 victories. It’s possible, and it’s a goal the team should shoot for to keep the players motivated as the season winds down. Up next the Rockets return home for a rare three days off before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Hopefully, Houston will be seeing the return of some starters by then, as OKC is a much tougher beast than the Pistons. With hustle and hard work, the Rockets have a shot to win two in a row.

Rockets Visit the Motor City for Matchup with Pistons

The Skeleton Crew.    Switching Roles.    Road Revival?

The very-shorthanded Houston Rockets visit the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night in a battle of last place teams in each conference. The Rockets are severely undermanned heading into this Motor City Matchup. Houston will be without their three best players, Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun. KPJ has missed several games now, but Green and Sengun are new additions to the injury report. The Rockets basically have a skeleton crew on their roster as everyone will likely get playing time tonight, and it will be interesting to see who makes up the starting lineup tonight for Houston.

Stephen Silas is out of town at a memorial service for his father Paul Silas, who passed away late last year. That means John Lucas will be taking over the Head Coaching reigns for tonight’s game. The last time Lucas was the Acting Head Coach, the Rockets won a in a triumphant and emotional fashion. Hopefully, they can repeat the same against a Pistons team that is much less talented than the teams Houston has recently faced. The Rockets would love to get a revitalizing win on the road before returning home for a couple of games. Is a road revival in store tonight for Houston?

The highly-touted Cade Cunningham is out for the season for the Pistons. The number one overall pick in Jalen Green’s draft class has had injury issues since he’s entered the league. Regardless, Detroit still has weapons Houston needs to be cautious about. Don’t be surprised is rookie Jalen Duren has a monster night in the paint for the Pistons. After a slow start, Duren is having a breakout rookie season, although he’s rarely talked about due to being on a last-place Detroit squad. Their other rookie, Jaden Ivey, is startling to come into form after a struggling start to his campaign. And Saddiq Bey, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Alec Burks have all had big games against the Rockets in the past. Tonight won’t be easy by any means for Houston, especially with an extremely limited roster. But that also means plenty of minutes for the Goon Squad and the energizers like Jae’Sean Tate. So expect the Rockets to play hard tonight… the question is can they maintain the consistency for four quarters without their Big Three? We’ll find out the answer on Saturday night.

 

Little Caesars Arena:  Detroit, Michigan

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (11-38):  White

Detroit Pistons (13-37):  Teal

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Overwhelmed in 113-95 Loss to Cavs

Outmanned.    Defensive Drawing Board.    Transition Problems.

From the opening tip, the Houston Rockets were outplayed on Thursday night. The Rockets trailed by as many as 32 points, eventually falling to the Cavaliers, 113-95,   at Toyota Center. This was Houston’s third game in four nights (all home games). The team is too young to have an excuse for tired legs, but the squad has been without starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. for a few games now, and his absence is notably affecting the team’s performance. Tari Eason led the Rockets with 18 points off the bench, as he continues to play well since Mario Elie encouraged him on the air after a game a few weeks ago. Jalen Green scored only 6 points in a discouraging performance. KJ Martin and Alperen Sengun scored 14 points apiece, but no one on Houston really had an outstanding game.

Minus Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland led the Cavs with 26 points and 9 assists. Evan Mobley had a stellar game as well, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Cleveland was simply too big for Houston in the pain. Mobley and Jarrett Allen dominated the paint for the Cavs as they cruised to victory over the Rockets.

Houston needs to go back to the defensive drawing board. They didn’t have the best night offensively, but their defense is rarely acceptable. And they gave up more than 110 points once again tonight, a trend that is too common this season in Houston.   The squad also needs to really clean up their transitional play. Poor defense and turnovers are leading to the Rockets getting killed in transition almost on a nightly basis. Up next, Houston travels to the Motor City to battle the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Detroit has the worst record in the East, so the Rockets should have a better chance than usual to steal a road win this weekend.

Rockets Host Cavaliers to Close Home-Stand

Part 2.    Missing Ingredients.    Back to Basics.    

The Rockets close out their three-game home-stand with a matchup against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers. This is Part 2 of Houston’s only home back-to-back of the season (teams rarely play two days in a row at home during the regular season). The squad’s coming off a tough loss at the hands of the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. Houston was in complete control in the first half, holding a lead of 19 points at one point. However, the second half featured another Rockets collapse, as Kyle Kuzma scored 20 fourth quarter points to rally the Wizards past Houston. The Rockets need to forget about last night, and move forward.

Tonight’s matchup will be more difficult than Wednesday’s. Cleveland currently holds the fifth spot in the East, with a record of 29-20. They are led by the four-headed monster that is Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley. Mitchell’s already scored 70 points in a game this season, and all four are potential or former All-Stars. Houston’s defense will be focused primarily on these four players. Mitchell and Garland parade the perimeter, while Allen and Mobley man the paint for the Cavs. Cleveland is coming off a tough two-point loss to the Knicks on Tuesday night. They’ll be hungry, and rested, to try and pounce on these young Rockets tonight. Houston’s in for a tough battle on Thursday night, but they’re capable of finishing the job, something they failed to do last night.

Houston will be missing some key ingredients in tonight’s matchup. Jae’Sean Tate and Eric Gordon are both out for injury management. Expect to see more minutes from Tari Eason, Garrison Mathews, and KJ Martin, who’s been playing spectacular ball lately. Martin’s coming off a solid 16-point, 13-rebound double-double last night. The Rockets will need his high flying dunks to revitalize the Toyota Center crowd, and return some momentum to Houston that the squad felt after Monday’s win. If the squad can focus on refining the basics of the game, they have a chance against a Cavs team that might come in overlooking the Rockets becuase of their record. It won’t be easy in Houston tonight, expect another close game down the stretch… hopefully the Rockets can finish the deal, and return to the winning track.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Cleveland Cavaliers (29-20):  White

Houston Rockets (11-37):  “City Edition” Blue

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall Under Second Half Spell in 108-103 Collapse to Wizards

Reversion.    Steph Kuzma.    In the Bag.

Houston held a 15-point halftime lead, and led by as many as 19 points in the first half. But they play two halves for a reason, as the Rockets collapsed in the fourth quarter, as the Wizards stormed back to deal Houston a 108-103 loss on Wednesday night. After their first win of the calendar year, the Rockets reverted to old habits in crunch time, as they lost their 19th game in their last 21 overall contests. Alperen Sengun didn’t disappoint on his bobblehead night. Sengun finished with a triple double, garnering 21 points, 11 boards, 10 dimes, to along with 3 steals and 2 blocks. After the game of his life, Jalen Green failed to reach the 20-point mark, scoring only 19 points on another inefficient shooting performance. In good news, KJ Martin continues to play spectacular ball for Houston. Martin’s movement off-the-ball is arguably the best on the roster. He excels at cutting and finding open lanes for his patented dunks. And KJ is gelling with the Rockets dynamic duo. Of his 8 made field goals, 6 came on assists from either Green or Sengun, a sign of how well the three guys play together.

Despite their second-half meltdown, Houston still probably wins this game if it weren’t for Kyle Kuzma. The Wizards’ forward morphed into Steph Curry, hitting a strain of threes to keep the Rockets at bay in clutch time. Kuzma scored 20 of his 33 points in the final period. Bradley Beal chipped in 17 points for Washington, but the Wiz likely lose this contest without Kuzma’s late heroics.

The Rockets have to put this game in the past, it’s already in the bag, in the history books. It’s time to move on. And Houston won;’t have much time to dwell on Wednesday’s loss, as they host the Cavaliers at Toyota Center on Thursday night. Cleveland is a more talented team than the Wizards, and should prove a tough challenge for these Rockets. It’ll be the second night of a back-to-back… and these young Houston legs should be able to withstand two games in a row.

Rockets Aim for Victory Again, Host Wizards

Streaking Spell.    Chip on the Bird.    He’s So Happy.

Fresh off their first win of 2023, the Rockets host the Wizards on Wednesday night. It’s the first of two straight home games, as Houston plays the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. The Wizards are 20-26 on the season, on the outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. They’re led by All-Star Bradley Beal, and Kyle Kuzma, who’s playing at an All-Star level. Other than that, Washington recently dealt Rui Hachimura, one of their talented, young big men, to the Lakers for future draft picks. The Wizards are already looking to the future, as it seems they don’t believe they can sneak into the Play-In Tournament out East. The Rockets will try and cement that idea in Washington’s future plans, with a win on Wednesday night.

The Wizards are the former team of Garrison Mathews, aka “Gary Bird”, as he’s known in the Houston area. Mr. Bird isn’t too fond of his former team, who basically dumped him for nothing. Expect Mathews to potentially have some big moments in what could be a revenge game of sorts for Mr. Bird. Mathews has a chip on his shoulder, and that’s a good thing for the Rockets. Garry Bird is one of the toughest players in the NBA, specifically one of the best the league’s seen at drawing charges, a true skill that takes effort and courage. Houston needs to feed off the energy Garry Bird will bring when he’s in the contest tonight. He’s still got unfinished business with this Wizards crew.

Tonight is Alperen Sengun’s first bobblehead night. And it comes at the perfect time. Sengun is currently playing the best basketball of his career. He’s showing the league why Houston took him in the first round, and he’s proving to be the steal, and possibly best player of that entire draft. His teammate, Jalen Green, may have something to say about that, but both players have plenty of time to grow into the stars they will become. For now, the Rockets need to channel Sengun’s catchphrase “I’m So Happy,” which can be heard around the arena on Wednesday night, as this bobblehead also talks. Houston finally has the monkey that was that miserable 13-game losing streak off their backs. It’s time for the squad to focus on the happiness that lies within this young team’s future potential… and gear up to squeak out another win against a very beatable Wizards team on Wednesday night.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Washington Wizards (20-26):  White

Houston Rockets (11-36):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Green’s Career Night Lifts Rockets Past Wolves, 119-114, Skid Finally Ends

Lucky 13.    Surging Third.    Dynamic Duo.

Jalen Green scored a career-high 42 points, as the Rockets staved off the Wolves, 119-114, and finally ending their losing streak at 13 games. Houston finally managed to play four decent quarters. The Rockets led by one at halftime, and then outscored the Wolves by 9 points in the third quarter, a period that had haunted Houston recently. That distance gave the squad enough room to hang on, and win their first home game in over a month. The victory gives the Rockets their first win since December 26th, when they won in Chicago, over the Bulls. It’s also the first home win for Houston since December 13th, over the Phoenix Suns.

Besides Green’s 42 points, the Rockets superstar-in-the-making had 4 boards and 4 dimes apiece. Minnesota’s Kyle Anderson tried to get under Green’s skin, which only lit a fuse for Houston’s young star, as he exploded for a career scoring night. Elsewhere on the roster, Alperen Sengun continued his stretch of impressive play. Sengun finished the night with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, putting in another stellar performance. Houston is finally getting a glimpse of the Rockets’ future Dynamic Duo. Sengun stretches the floor with his passing ability, which makes Green’s job easier, giving Jalen more driving opportunities. The two are still learning to play with one another in only their second season, but it’s clear these two 2021 draft picks are the face of the franchise. Green and Sengun are the key pieces Houston needs to focus on structuring their roster around as they continue to journey through the rebuilding process.

Starting once again, Tari Eason had his best overall game as a professional. Eason had 11 points and 9 rebounds in 26 hard-played, efficient minutes. Garrison Mathews had a few big defensive plays and some huge threes. KJ Martin quietly had another spectacularly efficient game, and Jae’Sean Tate provided an effective 11 points and 7 rebounds in only 22 minutes. Savvy veteran Eric Gordon was masterful as a playmaker and ensuring the squad continued to move the ball offensively. The game did get close near the end, but the Houston’s desperation could almost be seen and felt from the court. The Rockets truly played their hearts out and looked like a team that was tired of losing. Up next, Houston will play back-to-back home games on Wednesday and Thursday starting with the Wizards, as the Rockets hope this winning spell continues into the week.

Rockets Hope to End Skid as Wolves Come to Town

Part 2.    Slowing Ant.    3 in 4.

The Rockets return home to Toyota Center to face the team that beat them on Saturday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Houston enters this game skidding on a 13 game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Wolves, winners of 8 of their last 11 games, are headed in the opposite direction. This is the second part of the home and home between these teams. It’s hard to beat a team twice in the NBA, so hopefully the Rockets learned some lessons from Saturday night’s loss.

If Houston wants any chance to win the rematch on Monday night, they’ll have to do a better job on Anthony Edwards defensively. Edwards exploded for 44 points on Saturday night, and fueled Minnesota to the comeback victory. The Rockets need to hold the “Ant-Man” below 30 points. If Edwards goes off for another 30 or 40-point performance, Houston is likely staring at another loss. Expect Alperen Sengun to get ample opportunities once again, although he should receive even more shots on offense. Sengun was extremely efficient, but only took 11 shots on Saturday night. If the Rockets want to take advantage of a hobbled Minnesota team inside, they need to give Sengun more opportunities in the paint. With Kevin Porter Jr. still out with an injury, the offense should be run through Alperen Sengun. The big man has shown he’s the best passer on the team, and usually makes the right decision.

Monday night’s game is the first of three home games in four night for the Rockets. Houston plays a back-to-back at Toyota Center on Wednesday and Thursday against the Wizards and Cavaliers respectively. Hopefully some home cooking can break this losing streak, which has now reached an unlucky 13 games. The Rockets have seemingly ran out of gas in the third or fourth quarter in each of their past six games. Houston’s had the lead, or a legitimate chance to win all six contests, but their struggles to put four consistent quarters of efficient basketball together have kept victory at bay for the Rockets. Eventually this skid will end. The squad is too talented to continue to lose every single game. Will tonight be the night that some luck falls on their side? Tune in to find out.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Minnesota Timberwolves (24-24):  Blue

Houston Rockets (10-36):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass