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Undermanned Rockets Stung by Hornets, 123-99, Lose 4th Straight

Extra Short-Handed.    Rearing the Ugly Head.    Big Showing Next.

Houston didn’t put forth their best showing, getting crushed in Charlotte by the Hornets, 123-99, on Monday night. However, shortly before the game, more news broke about Rocket players in the health-and-safety protocols. These additions included Jae’Sean Tate most importantly, who missed his first game of the season after being the only Houston player to start every game this season. The Rockets were never really in this contest after the first quarter. “Scary” Terry Rozier proved to be too horrifying for Houston, leading the Hornets with 27 points. Charlotte also 5 other players score in double-figures. Trevelin Queen, who was recently call-up from the G-League, had a solid performance in only his third career-game. Queen came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points for the Rockets. Christian Wood and Eric Gordon had 16 points apiece, but this was a learning game for Houston. Many different lineup combinations were used due to the squad being short-handed.

Just as COVID has reared it’s ugly head toward the Rockets, the squad is now playing like a team that could lose their way back into lottery contention. Since their seven-game winning streak, which was predominantly against inferior opponents, Houston is a disastrous 2-8 in their last 10 games. Sure the schedule’s been tough. But it’s the NBA, every night presents a challenge. Speaking of challenges, the Rockets have a tough one coming up in their next game on Tuesday night.

LeBron James and the Lakers come to town on Tuesday for the second-half of a back-to-back for Houston. The good news: the Rockets are returning home, and will see the return of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. The bad news: the Lakers have lost five straight games, their longest losing streak of the season. Anthony Davis and some other players are out for L.A., but the only key ingredient remains, and that’s all that matters: LeBron James. Houston will have a chance, but the most dangerous thing in the NBA, even at his age, is a motivated LeBron James. The Rockets will need their best showing on Tuesday night if they want to take down the King.

Rockets Fly into Charlotte to Battle Hornets, Close Road Trip

Three Days.    Question Marks.    One Month.

Could there be a sweep in the cards for Houston tonight? The Rockets won’t sweep many, if any, season series this season, but Monday night presents that rare opportunity. Houston flies into Charlotte for a match with the Hornets after having three days off over the Christmas break. The Rockets will try and snap a three-game losing streak they carried into the break. Three days off came at an essential time for Houston, who saw the return of Jalen Green in their previous game after he missed a month due to a hamstring injury. The rest period also gave Kevin Porter Jr. more time to nurse back from his thigh injury as well. KPJ is expected to play tonight, while Green is considered questionable. It’s nice to get Scoot back in the lineup, and Green should be able to play, unless he suffered a setback in his return during Houston’s previous game.

Charlotte’s struggled since these teams first met, exactly one month ago. In the first matchup, the Rockets beat the Bees in an overtime-thriller, for their second of seven wins in a row. Houston’s improved greatly since the first matchup, and can they replicate what they did a month ago. However, the Rockets have been finally hit with COVID, as the NBA deals with a league-wide outbreak. Houston was one of the last teams to have any players in the health and safety protocols. Probably because the entire team is vaccinated. Regardless, Garrison Matthews and D.J. Augustin will miss tonight’s contest after being placed in the league’s health and safety protocols. Charlotte will be without P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges for the same reasons. The Hornets still have plenty of talent, with their own three-headed monster of sorts that includes LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Terry Rozier. If Houston can contain this trio, they should pull out the victory to close this stretch of road games.

Since the month these teams first met, the Hornets are 4-8, while the Rockets are 7-8. Although, Charlotte is coming off a road victory in Denver, while Houston has lost three straight games. Nonetheless, the Rockets have a great chance to close their five-game road trip with a victory in Charlotte tonight. Hopefully Scoot’s return boosts the squad, and if Green’s cleared to play, the Rockets should have enough talent to pull out the win. With the most rest the squad’s had all season, the question remains… will rust play a factor and prevent Houston from bringing out the brooms? We’ll find out soon enough. 

 

Spectrum Center:  Charlotte, North Carolina

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-23):  White

Charlotte Hornets (17-17):  Blue “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  6 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Collapse In Indy, Fall to Pacers, 118-106, For Third Straight Loss

Failing to Finish.    Rookie Returns.    Recollection Time.

Jalen Green returned to action for the first time in nearly a month. Houston’s start rookie was so excited to play he lost his shoe in the opening minutes of Thursday’s 118-106 defeat in Indiana. Green scored 20 points in his return, including shooting 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. The Rockets as a team weren’t as stellar. Despite  trailing by 8 points after the first quarter, Houston slowly climbed back in the game,  even managing to hold a 3-point edge entering the final frame. But fatigue came back to haunt the Rockets in the fourth quarter, as the squad managed only 12 points, and were outscored 27-12 by the Pacers. This was the third game in four nights for Houston, and the back-half of a back-to-back. Christian Wood led the way for Houston with 22 points. Jae’Sean Tate supplied 18, and Eric Gordon added 15 in his Indiana return. Alperen Sengun flourished in limited time. Sengun registered 10 points, 8 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block in only 20 minutes.

Myles Turner and Caris LeVert fueled Indiana’s comeback. Turned had 32 points and 10 boards for the Pacers, while LeVert supplied 24 points and 11 assists. The short-handed horses had enough in the tank to power past the Rockets in the final quarter, dealing Houston their third straight loss. Garrison Matthews had a quiet night, scoring only 3 points. But Green’s return was enough promise for a Rocket team that’s been screwed by the schedule gods in this first half of the NBA season.

After seemingly playing 15 games over the past 20 days, the Rockets now get three days off to rest over the Christmas break. It’s a much deserved break, as this team has truly had a jammed schedule in the month of December. They’ll return with two more back-to-backs to close the calendar year: Monday and Tuesday, and then New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Green looked very promising in his return. As if he’s finally letting the game slow down and come to him instead of trying to do too much. Houston now is only awaiting the return of Kevin Porter Jr. to be at full strength. Scoot is expected to return sometime soon, maybe even in the Rockets next game, on Monday in Charlotte. If not against the Bee’s, his return should come within the next few games. Porter showed he was much better then first time he came back from his injury, and learned so much from his time on the bench. Hopefully, this will be a Deja Vu experiment for the Rockets, only this time with Scoot remaining healthy. The last thing Houston wants is one of their best players developing an injury history. And if Green’s return showed fans anything, maybe a little time off to recollect oneself is the best thing for some of these young Rocket stars. Houston hopes Scoot returns to action when the team returns from their break on Monday in Charlotte.

Rockets Face Pacers in Final Game Before Christmas

The Return.    Short-Handed Horses.    Wrapping Up.

Jalen Green makes his highly-anticipated return to Houston’s lineup as the Rockets visit the Pacers in their final game before Christmas. Green has missed the previous 14 games for Houston, and his return comes just in time. The Rockets are finishing off a tough stretch with the second half of a back-to-back tonight in Indiana. However, tonight’s battle is a very winnable match for Houston. The Pacers are one of the more disappointing teams this season, with a record of 13-19. To make matters worse, their best player, Domantas Sabonis, has been the heavy subject of trade rumors. It hasn’t stopped Sabonis from being the most underrated big-man in entire league. Fortunately for Houston, they won’t have to worry about stopping Sabonis tonight, as he and Malcolm Brogdon are both missing Thursday’s game due to injuries. The Pacers have lost three of their last four games, and are coming off a 29-point beatdown at the hands of the Heat in Miami.  Houston has dropped two straight after getting blown out by the Bucks in Milwaukee last night.

How will Jalen Green’s return impact the Rockets? We’ll start getting answers tonight in Indy. It will certainly take time to implement Green back into the lineup. However, he was starting to finally find a consistent stroke in his shooting rhythm and overall game just before his injury. Houston hopes Green won’t take much time to get back to playing like one of the top rookies in the draft. Coach Stephen Silas will certainly have to adjust who’s playing time is impacted the most with Green’s return. It’s a good problem to have for a coach, as so many guys have stepped up in Green’s absence. Garrison Matthews emerged from the G-league, Armoni Brooks has really played well, and K.J. Martin is currently playing the best basketball of his career. Christian Wood’s been garnering double-doubles on a nightly basis, and we’ll see if the big-man can keep that up with Jalen back in the lineup. Look for Indiana-native Eric Gordon to have a big night for the Rockets regardless. EG is from Indiana, and played his college ball for the Hoosiers. Indy usually brings out the best in Gordon, who’s excited to play in front of his friends and family.

Tonight’s game is the final game before Christmas for the Rockets, who get a much needed three-day break. Thursday’s matchup also caps a brutal stretch of nine games in nine different cities for Houston, as 8 of their last 9 before Christmas were away from Toyota Center. The Rockets have yet to win on the second night of a back-to-back this season. Maybe Jalen Green’s return will end that streak. He might just be the present Houston needs to get back on track in time for the holidays.

 

Gainbridge Fieldhouse:  Indianapolis, Indiana

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-22):  White

Indiana Pacers (13-19):  Yellow

 

Tip-Off:  6 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Demolished by Bucks, 126-106, Lose 2nd Straight

No Freak, No Problem.    A Step Behind.    Nine for Nine.

Houston held an 8-point lead in the first quarter, but that edge was soon diminished by the Bucks. Milwaukee scored the final six points in the period, and never looked back. The Rockets trailed by as many as 23 points, as they got extinguished bu the Bucks, 126-106, on Wednesday night. No Giannis Antetokounmpo, no problem for Milwaukee. Jrue Holiday led the Bucks with 24 points, Khris Middleton added 23, and DeMarcus Cousins and Jordan Nwora had 18 points apiece. Wesley Matthews returned from health and safety protocols to score 16 points in one of his better games of the season, but he always seems to burn the Rockets, and it happened once again. Milwaukee stayed a step ahead of Houston after grabbing the lead for good at the end of the first frame.

Despite being a step behind the Rockets played hard, but this team is eagerly awaiting the Christmas break, when they’ll get three days off, the most for Houston all season. The Rockets stayed with the Bucks in the first quarter, but seemed to run out of gas once the second period started. Houston will get Jalen Green back for their next game, tomorrow in Indiana. Hopefully Green’s return will give tired legs some needed extra rest.

The Rockets lost by 20, but still got contributions from almost everyone on the roster. Milwaukee’s physicality and veteran experience was too much for Houston to overcome. The squad still managed to have 9 different players score at least 9 points, led by Christian Wood’s 20 points and 11 rebounds. Double-doubles are becoming a nightly norm for Houston’s big-man, who’s been the most consistent Rocket leading up to the holiday break. One more game remains for Houston before they get three days to rest during Christmas. The Rockets travel to Indiana to face a much less potent Pacers team than the one Houston saw in Milwaukee tonight. And Jalen Green’s return just might be the edge the Rockets need to get a victory before the holidays.

Rockets Visit Milwaukee for Battle with Bucks

Ugly Front Half.    Bad News Bucks.    Something to Prove.

Houston tours Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Wednesday night. The defending champs snapped the Rockets seven-game winning streak earlier this month. Tonight marks the front half of a back-to-back, as Houston visits Indiana tomorrow night in their final game before the Christmas break. It’s an ugly front half, with Milwaukee aiming to snap their own two-game losing streak tonight. The Bucks are hungry for a win and have the home crowd on their side. That’s bad news for the Rockets, who are 3-14 on the road, second-worst in the league behind Detroit. The good news is, Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for Milwaukee. Like many players in the NBA at the moment, the Greek Freak was placed in the league’s healthy and safety protocols earlier this week. Giannis is the fuel that keeps the Buck fire burning. Houston has a chance, but Milwaukee plays so hard and feeds off their loud home crowd, that chance for the Rockets is very slim tonight.

There is good news for Houston in the near future. According to several reports, Jalen Green will finally make his return to the court in the second half of the Rockets’ back-to-back on Thursday night. Including tonight’s contest in Milwaukee, Green will have missed 14 consecutive games. Nonetheless, it’s good for Houston to finally get their prized rookie back in the lineup. The Bucks, meanwhile, get their second-best player, Khris Middleton, back tonight. Along with Giannis, Bobby Portis and Donte DiVencenzo are also out due to health and safety protocols.

So that means tonight is the last chance for a lot of other Rockets to show they belong to stay in the rotation. Expect a great team effort from Houston tonight. The squad knows Green’s return is on the horizon. Guys know their minutes are close to dwindling once Green returns. Tonight could be the last chance to convince Stephen Silas those minutes don’t need to be trimmed. Coach is faced with a lot of difficult roster tweaks by adding Green back in the starting unit. And a win over the defending champs, with Giannis or not… would be quite the convincing statement for the rest of the roster.

 

Fiserv Forum:  Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-21):  Black

Milwaukee Bucks (19-13):  White “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  7PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fail to Keep Pace with Chicago, Fall to Bulls, 133-118

Raced Over.    Defensive Defeat.    Lesson for the Road.

It’s rare to see a team shoot 56% from the field and trail by as many as 25 points in a game. However that’s the position Rockets found themselves in on Monday night. And the Bulls ran all over Houston’s defense, dealing the Rockets a 133-118 defeat in the process. Chicago raced out to a 9-0 lead to start, and Houston never came close to threatening the Bulls’ stranglehold on this game. DeMar DeRozan’s 26 points paced Chicago, who won their second straight contest after having several games postponed due to COVID. Coby White scored 24 points for the Bulls in his best game of the season, and Alfonzo McKinnie had a breakout performance with 16 points off Chicago’s bench. Lonzo Ball played stellar as he always does against the Rockets, chipping in 19 points and 8 dimes. And Nikola Vucevic was a pest in the post, adding 16 points for the Bulls, who got whatever they wanted offensively against Houston.

The Rockets managed to have six players in double-figures, led by Christian Wood’s 23 points, but Houston’s team defense was a no-show on Monday night. Kenyon Martin Jr. continued his stretch of solid games, leading the Rocket bench with 15 points. Josh Christopher had another double-digit performance with 10 points, and Armoni Brooks added 15 for the Rockets, who found the shots they wanted. The issue was stopping the likes of DeMar DeRozan, who seemingly sleepwalked his way to 26 points, and the rest of the Bulls. It’s not a question of Houston’s effort, the team played hard. They just got out hustled and outplayed by a better ball club. Chicago is almost certainly playoff bound this season. Houston, on the other hand, probably won’t see the postseason. This loss is one of many lessons this bereft Rockets team will carry with them throughout the season.

Houston is now 3-14 on the road, compared to an even 7-7 at Toyota Center. A pretty stark comparison. Granted, many of these road games came during the dreaded 15-game losing streak. Since then, the Rockets are 3-3 on the road, so they’ve cleaned their act up slightly after starting 0-11 away from home. And in terms of the opposition coming up, the road doesn’t any easier for the Rockets. Houston travels to Milwaukee next to face the defending champs, in the first of a back-to-back on the road (Rockets play in Indiana on Thursday). The Bucks snapped the Rockets’ seven game winning streak, and are hungry to snap their own two game losing streak. All bets are on the Bucks to bounce back on Wednesday, but Houston played Milwaukee well in their first matchup… an upset would be rare, but not impossible.

Rockets Head Up to the Windy City for a Run with the Bulls

Tough Sledding.    The 13th Key.    Green Light in Sight?

Houston aims to sweep the season series over the Bulls, as they visit Chicago for a Monday night matchup. The Rockets beat the Bulls earlier this season, 118-113, in what became the first of seven straight wins for Houston. The squad is coming off a win over the Pistons, and hopefully a rematch with Chicago will ignite more positive results for the Rockets on the court. The Bulls are one of several teams who have recently been hit hard by COVID, even having two of their games recently postponed. However, they’ll have DeMar DeRozan tonight, and he’s coming off a 38 point torching of the Lakers. Chicago’s second-best player, Zach LaVine, is questionable. For the Rockets’ sake, hopefully LaVine sits this one out. Christian Wood, Alperen Sengun, and whichever Houston big men see action will need to contain Nikola Vucevic, a force in the paint for the Bulls.

The Bulls are well aware Houston beat them earlier this year, and will want to defend home court. Chicago has the best home record in the East, so this matchup will definitely be more difficult than the Rockets’ recent opponents. And after tonight, the Rockets head to Milwaukee to take on the defending-champion Bucks, and the team who snapped Houston’s winning streak. As tonight’s concerned, the Rockets need to hit their three-point shots. It may sound simple, but Houston is 9-4 when they make at least 13 threes. They’re only 1-16 when they fail to reach this mark. So if the Rockets are connecting from long range, they have a chance.

Kevin Porter Jr. is still out with an injury, but Stephen Silas recently said Jalen Green could return on this road-trip for Houston. Could it be tonight in Chicago? Houston could use their prized-rookie back in the lineup, as Green’s been out for a few weeks now. This one will really test Houston’s mettle mentally. The Bulls are tough to beat in Chicago, and it’s even harder to sweep a season series, even if it’s only two games. The Rockets just need to play hard, and pass the ball, find the open man. If they can reach that magic key, 13 made threes… Houston may just have enough for a surprise sweep.

 

United Center:  Chicago, Illinois

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-20):  Black

Chicago Bulls (18-10):  White

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

 

Rockets Motor Past Pistons, 116-107, to Start Road Trip

Not Joshin’ Around.    Garry Bird Returns.    Changes in House.

Houston evened their season series with the Pistons, defeating them 116-107, in Detroit on Saturday afternoon. The early tip-off time (11:00 AM CT) was the earliest on the Rockets schedule. Despite the unusual start, both teams came out with plenty of energy, but Houston managed to control the game, holding a 20-point lead at one point in the contest. Christian Wood, who loves playing in Detroit, led the Rockets with 21 points and 8 rebound. The Pistons are the first team who gave Wood a chance, then waived him after one season. Wood certainly got his revenge on Saturday, but he wasn’t the only Houston player in on the fun. In his first career NBA start, Josh Christopher continues to grow in front of our eyes. Christopher scored 10 points, grabbed 4 boards, and had 7 assists, including some beautiful dimes. His decision-making and court awareness improved mightily over the last few games, as Christopher’s received more playing time. The starting nod shows coach Stephen Silas is beginning to really trust his 20-year-old rookie. Another rookie, Cade Cunningham, the number one overall pick in the draft, had a solid game for Detroit. The most touted rookie in the draft registered 21 points, 7 assists, and 11 rebounds, and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 23 points, but the Rockets were too much for a Detroit team that’s now lost 14 games in a row.

In a move made before the game, Daniel House was waived by Houston. The Rockets simply have too many young players with more potential than House, so the team finally parted ways after a rollercoaster ride with the Houstonian that dates back to the James Harden days. Only Eric Gordon now remains from that group. As a result of waiving House, Garrison Matthews two-way contract was converted into a four-year contract. And Trevelin Queen was called up on a two-way contract from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G-League affiliate. After a few sub-par performances from the field, Garry Bird returned to form on Saturday. After shooting a dismal 2-for 17 from beyond the arc over the previous three games, Matthews found his rhythm from deep in Detroit, knicking down 4 of his 9 shots from distance. In total, Garry Bird scored 16 points on 50% shooting overall. He also had a few charges drawn against him, a facet of his game defensively that’s become his signature. As a team, the Rockets had seven players score in double-figures, and Alperen Sengun just missed the mark. After his worst game of the season against the Knicks on Thursday, Sengun bounced back for 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in Detroit. Along with Christopher, KJ Martin is another player who’s seen his minutes slowly increase as the season’s moved along. And he hasn’t disappointed. After scoring a career-high 15 points in Houston’s last game, Martin recorded his first career double-double against the Pistons, registering 10 points and 11 rebounds. Eric Gordon scored 18 points as his consistency (when not dealing with injuries) has been at an all-time high this season. And the Rockets most consistent player all season, and the only guy to start every game, Jae’Sean Tate, chipped in 11 points, and a ton of hustle. David Nwaba once again took advantage of another opportunity in limited time. Nwaba scored 13 points in 17 minutes, and continues to impress coach Silas by getting playing time in key moments. Similar to Daniel Theis, who didn’t play on Saturday, Nwaba had a stretch where he didn’t play at all for six straight games due to coach’s decision. Regardless, Theis and Nwaba have proven they’re the consummate professionals, and will respond when coach calls their number, as inconsistent as that call may be.

The Rockets are now 10-20 through 30 games, and still have a tough stretch of coming up on the schedule. Houston is only 2.5 games behind the 10th seed in the West, the final spot needed to secure a play-in bid. This squad plays too hard and has too many young talented players to tank in the season. These young Rockets have a chance after their historically awful 1-16 start. They’re 9-4 since, but this finishing this month and entering the new year will tell the story of what direction this team is heading. Up next, Houston heads up to Chicago to face the Bulls, where the Rockets will try and sweep the season series over the East’s second seed. Houston beat Chicago earlier in the year for their second win of their seven game winning streak. The Rockets will aim to get their second straight win over the Bulls, this time at the usual evening tip-off on Monday night.

Rockets Hit the Road for Matinee Matchup in Detroit

New-Look Rematch.    Opportunity Arises.    Other Side of History.

Houston begins a five-game road trip on Saturday afternoon in Detroit, as they visit the sliding Pistons. The Rockets lost the first meeting between these teams, 112-104, back on November 10th. These squads have both undergone significant changes since that matchup. The Rockets were in the middle of their 15-game losing streak, and since have had a seven-game winning streak, before losing three of their past four. The Pistons have shut down Jerami Grant for the season with an injury. Grant looked like an All-Star when these teams first met, but he won’t be a nuisance for Houston this time around. Cade Cunningham has quietly improved his play as the season’s move on, while the Rockets have discovered the capabilities of Garrison Matthews, and other contributors who have shown they’re better than G-League fodder.

This is the best chance the Rockets have at getting a win on this road trip. Detroit has the worst record in the NBA, and they’re one of the few teams Houston’s legitimately better than. The Pistons are also currently riding a 13-game losing streak. Houston owns the longest losing streak of this season, at 15 games, but they’d love to change that part of history by pushing Detroit closer to that mark. If anything, it’s bad for morale to get swept by the worst team in the NBA. Expect the Rockets to play with some pride, and hunger, even though they’re in the midst of a tough stretch of the schedule.

Hopefully Christian Wood returns for the Rockets, who are still waiting on Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Danuel House Jr. to return as well. Regardless, Houston should win this game. They looked gassed in their last loss to the Knicks on Thursday night. Friday is a much-needed rest day, but the team also travels to Detroit. If the squad can get a few injured bodies back, it would ease the fatigue haunting this short-handed Houston team. The Rockets are now 1-4 since they’re seven-game winning streak was snapped by the Milwaukee Bucks a week ago. Luckily for Houston, Little Caesars Arena is the perfect place for NBA teams in dire need of a slice of victory.

 

Little Caesars Arena:  Detroit, Michigan

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (9-20):  Black

Detroit Pistons (4-23):  Gray

Tip:  11 AM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass