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Rockets Travel to Indy, Face-Off Against Pacers

Road Desperation.    Keep Pace.    Defensive Mindset.

The Rockets, desperate for a road win, visit the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night in the second match of their four-game trip. Houston is coming off a blowout loss in Minnesota to the Timberwolves. Indiana is coming off a road win over the Hornets, snapping a three-game losing streak for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton is once again questionable for this contest. The All-Star guard recently returned from an injury, but he’s been on a minutes restriction over his last four games, not playing over 22 minutes since returning. Haliburton’s questionable tonight due to left hamstring strain injury management, but it remains to be seen if Indy will hold out their young star. Regardless if he plays, the Pacers are an offensive juggernaut, leading the NBA in scoring. Indy presents a tough matchup for a Rockets team that’s struggling mightily on the road. Houston will look to get back on track and win their sixth road game of the season tonight, but they’ll have to keep pace with Indiana’s offense.

If Haliburton plays, he’ll be the primary focal point of Indy’s offense. The Pacers have plenty of other weapons as well. Center Myles Turner is having another solid season, and possesses the kind of size that may give Alperen Sengun issues in the paint. Indiana won the first matchup back in Houston the day after Christmas, in a close affair, 123-117. Since then, the Pacers made one of the big trades in the NBA, acquiring All-Star forward Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. Siakam is one of the league’s best two-way players. He will likely induce headaches for this Rockets roster, including former teammate Fred VanVleet. FVV and Siakam were teammates on Toronto’s 2019 team that won the Championship. Hopefully VanVleet has some inside information on how to stop one of his former longtime teammates.

If Houston wants any chance to pull the upset in Indy tonight, they need to come into this match with a defensive mindset. The Pacers have the league’s best offense, and while they may not play much defense, they have been largely successful at outscoring their opponents. The Rockets have shown that they struggle mightily shooting the three, and in general offensively on the road. That will need to chance tonight if Houston wants any chance at their sixth road victory. Aaron Nesmith has been on a tear recently for Indiana. The Rockets can’t let the young guard get going, or it could be another long night on the road for Houston. Tonight’s matchup doesn’t pose the imposing size challenge the Rockets faced in Minnesota, but the Pacers are still a playoff-bound team with a lot of firepower. Houston aims to slow down Indy’s horses tonight, as the Rockets are in desperate search for a road win.

 

Gainbridge Fieldhouse:  Indianapolis, Indiana

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (23-26):  White

Indiana Pacers (28-23):  Navy

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Mauled By Wolves, 111-90, to Begin Road Trip

Big Bad Matchup.    Another Road Blow.    Falling Out.

It’s a good thing this Rockets team only has to play the Wolves one more time. Minnesota showed once again, why they are one of the toughest matchups in the league. The Timberwolves used a third quarter run to pounce on Houston, dealing the Rockets a 111-90 defeat. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 32 points, as Houston had no answers defensively for the Wolves’ budding superstar. Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 15 points, as Houston was outmatched once again by a bigger, better Minnesota squad. This game was only a four point contest at halftime, but the Wolves dominated the second half en route to dealing the Rockets another blowout loss.

Houston is now 5-17 away from home, the second worst mark on the road in the West, only to the last-place Spurs. The Rockets have three more road games coming up on this trip, and they won’t be as challenging as the Timberwolves. Houston will travel to Indiana on Tuesday, before heading to Toronto and Atlanta over the weekend for a back-to-back beginning Friday. Hopefully the Rockets can win at least two of these three road games. Houston lost to Indiana and Atlanta at home earlier this season, and smashed the Raptors in their last win a couple games ago.

The Rockets are now 23-26, still in 11th place in the Western Conference. However, they lead the Golden State Warriors (22-25) by a mere percentage point in the standings. Houston only trails Utah by one game for the 10th and final Play-In position. It’s likely the Warriors will make a late-season push to try and sneak into one of the final spots. The Rockets are in danger of falling out of the race if they can’t improve their play on the road. These next three games will likely determine if Houston is still in the playoff mix, or if they’re falling out of the picture altogether.

Rockets Visit Timberwolves, Start Four Game Road-Trip

Headed North.    Top of the Food Chain.    First 22.   

The Rockets head north to start a four-game road-trip on Sunday night. First up, the squad will battle the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are currently tied for first in the West, and have been near the top of the standings the entire season. This will be by far the toughest test on this road-trip. After this matchup, Houston travels to Indiana, Toronto, and then Atlanta respectively. The Pacers won’t be easy, but the final two teams are beatable, despite the games coming on a back-to-back. Tonight, the Rockets are once again facing a great team coming off a loss, as has been the case seemingly many times this season. The Wolves lost by two points to the Orlando Magic at home in their previous game, and will be hungry to get back on the winning track. Houston is coming off a 135-106 beatdown over the Toronto Raptors at home.

Minnesota won the first battle between these teams, 122-95, back in Houston on January 5th. The Rockets will aim to display more effort, and make round two a much closer contest between these squads. The Wolves have no major injuries at the moment, so that means we’ll be seeing the usual, dangerous suspects in Minnesota. This includes Anthony “Ant-Man” Edwards, Karl-Anthony Tows, and Rudy Gobert. Edwards and Towns were both recently named All-Star reserves for the Western Conference. Ant-Man is having an MVP-Caliber season, and KAT dropped a career-high 62 points a few weeks ago. Rudy Gobert is once again a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, and will likely cause Sengun major headaches in the paint tonight. Houston has to hope their rookies keep rolling, and hopefully Jalen Green bounces back after a sub-par game against the Raptors.

Unfortunately, the Rockets will still be without Tari Eason, who is missing his 18th straight game of the season due to left lower leg injury management. Last year as a rookie, Eason played in all 82 games of the season. Houston just hasn’t been the same team since his departure with the injury. The close games they were winning earlier in the season they’re now losing, and the Rockets are now getting blown out in games they’d hang around in with Eason on the court. Houston started the season 13-9, the most games they’ve been over .500 all year. The Rockets need to find a way to return to that playing style. Over those games, the majority of the losses were close, with Houston competitive in nearly every matchup. Eason isn’t expected to be out too much longer, but after tonight, only 33 games remain in the season. The Rockets need their energizer bunny back as quickly as possible. Hopefully they can pull off a huge upset without him to start this road-trip.

 

Target Center:  Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (23-25):  Black

Minnesota Timberwolves (34-15):  White

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Eviscerate Raptors, 135-106, in Blowout Win

Rookie Showcase.    Paint Patrollers.    Rolling Reserves.

Houston closed their three-game home-stand with a defiant 135-106 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. The Rockets dominated the contest from the opening tip, and improved to 23-25 on the season. This feels like the first time in ages since Houston has strung four quarters of solid basketball together. All fourteen Rocket players scored, and they were led by the youngsters who put on a rookie showcase. Cam Whitmore continues to be a revelation since receiving ample playing time. Whitmore scored a career-high 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting from the floor, and grabbed 6 rebounds. Amen Thompson also had a career-scoring night, registering 19 points on a terrific 9-for-11 shooting from the field. Thompson had a well-rounded game as he compiled 7 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block to accompany his scoring. The rookies are obviously gaining more comfortability with increased playing time, and their production has shown their growth in confidence. Alperen Sengun had another fantastic game for Houston. Sengun scored 24 points, grabbed 13 boards, and dished out 8 dimes in another near triple-double affair. Jalen Green had a quieter night against the Raptors, scoring 14 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Green failed to hit a three-point shot after being very efficient over his last three games from beyond the arc. Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 28 points, and new-addition Immanuel Quickly added 25, but the Rockets were in control of the game from start to finish.

This game was absolutely dominated in the paint by Houston, who scored their most interior points in over 20 years. The Rockets scored a whopping 84 points in the paint, outscoring the Raptors by 30 in the interior. Houston was able to get whatever they wanted around the rim, as Toronto has no real rim protectors on their team, and this was on fully display on Friday night. The Rocket reserves were also superb against the Dinos. Houston’s bench scored 70 points, outscoring the Raptors by 40, as they managed only 30 points from their reserves. Six players scored in double figures for Houston, and every single player scored at least a bucket.

The squad has now gone 2-1 over their past three games. They’ll try and take these winning ways on the road, as the Rockets prepare to embark on a four-game road trip. Only six games remain before the All-Star Break, and five of them are on the road. Houston is still only 5-16 on the road. They are tied in the West with the last-place Spurs for the least road wins in the Conference. The Rockets really need to start winning a few games away from Toyota Center. Houston lost some heartbreakers on the road earlier in the season, but hopefully on this upcoming trip, they can go at least 2-2 over the next four games. They’ll need to if they want to stay in the running for a Play-In Spot. The Rockets are currently still in 11th place, one spot behind the final Play-In position. They’ll need to be ready to play immediately on the road as the first test is the toughest. Houston will travel to Minnesota to face the first-place Timberwolves, as they embark on the road, hoping for more success than in the past.

Rockets Host Rebuilding Raptors in Home-Stand Finale

Jurassic Fridays.    Stay in the Picture.    Future Addition.

It’s the first of two “Jurassic Fridays,” as the Rockets host the rebuilding Toronto Raptors on Friday night. This is the first matchup between the squads this season, and the teams will wrap up their season series with a rematch next Friday in Toronto. The Raptors are currently 17-30, good for 12th place in the East. They’re actually coming off a win in Chicago over the Bulls, but these Raptors are in full rebuilding mode. They traded two of their best players, O.G. Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, earlier this season. Houston needs to take advantage of a team that clearly has their eyes set on the upcoming Draft Lottery. The Rockets are coming off a frustrating 110-99 loss the Pelicans on Wednesday night. Houston was out-hustled, and notably out-manned on the glass in that contest. The squad will try and get back on track against an easier opponent tonight.

The Rockets are currently 22-25 in the standings, which places them at 11th place in the West, just outside of the final Play-In spot. Houston only trails the Utah Jazz and the Lakers by a game or so for that final spot. This Rockets team is more than capable of sneaking into the Play-In, but they’ll need to win games like tonight against Toronto if they want to climb back in the race. The Raptors still some talent to reckon with, as do all NBA teams. Scottie Barnes is one of the best young players in the NBA, and is having a breakout-third season after struggling in his sophomore year. He will likely be guarded by Dillon Brooks as the focal point of Houston’s defense tonight.

In other news, the Rockets traded Victor Oladipo and three future draft picks for Steven Adams from the Memphis Grizzlies. Adams is out with the season with an injury, so this move is an addition for the future. Oladipo hadn’t played any games the season with Houston, so the Rockets are essentially only losing a few picks for one of the league’s best role players in this deal. Adams is one of the toughest players in the league, and the Aussie will be a great backup at center for Houston’s budding All-Star, Alperen Sengun. RJ Barrett remains out with an injury, but Immanuel Quickley will be making his return for the Raptors after missing a few games. Barrett and Quickly are new additions for Toronto from New York in the Anunoby deal. The Rockets are coming off a game they lost due to lack of effort. It is the “Dog Days” of the NBA season, as we’re nearing the All-Star break. Players are starting to feel the grind of an 82 game season as we’re now well into the second-half of this campaign. Except for Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore, who are both rolling right now. Look for both guards to continue having efficient performances as they face a bad Raptors team tonight. Plus, Ime Udoka should have Houston fired up and ready to end this home-stand with a win over Toronto on Friday night.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Toronto Raptors (17-30):  Black

Houston Rockets (22-25):  “City Edition” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Dominated on the Boards in 110-99 Loss to Pelicans

Energy Slippage.    Consistent Cam.    Out of Steam.

Jalen Green continued his resurgent play of late, scoring 31 points to lead the Rockets. However, it wasn’t enough against the Pelicans, as New Orleans defeated Houston, 110-99, on Wednesday night. After being outplayed by Alperen Sengun in the first two matchups, both Rocket wins, Jonas Valanciunas had one of his best games of the season. The Pelicans’ big man scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead New Orleans. Houston had no answers for Valanciunas, who was a beast on the glass and in the interior all night long. Brandon Ingram added 24 points and 10 boards, and C.J. McCollum chipped in 19 points for the Pels. This was Houston’s first loss to New Orleans

Jalen Green had another solid shooting performance to go with his 31 points. Jalen shot 11-for-20 overall from the floor, but his three-point shooting was the impressive stat. Green may be starting to find his stroke from beyond the arc as the guard went 5-for-12 from three on Wednesday night. He also registered 4 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks on the evening. Cam Whitmore continues to be a consistent force of explosive energy off the bench for the Rockets. Whitmore scored 17 points on 50% shooting in only 20 minutes of action. Alperen Sengun had a rough night, scoring only 10 points, as Valanciunas was too much for Al-P to handle on Wednesday.

Houston was manhandled on the glass against New Orleans. The Pelicans grabbed 27 more rebounds than the Rockets, and were the more aggressive team from the opening tip. Houston trailed by eight points after the first quarter, but the Rockets managed to chip away and make it a five-point game heading into the final period. Unfortunately, Houston ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans started the final frame on a 15-0 run to put the game away for good. Up next for the Rockets, the squad will close out their home-stand by hosting Fred VanVleet’s former team, the Toronto Raptors, on Friday night. Toronto is in full rebuilding mode… giving Houston a great shot to snap back on the winning track this Friday night.

Rockets vs. Pelicans Pre-Game 1/31/24

Rockets Seek Second Straight Win, Greet Pelicans

Inching Closer.    Mountainous Question.    Maintain Perfection.

Houston tries to inch closer up in the standings as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The Rockets are coming off an impressive 16-point win over the Lakers on Monday to kick-off this three-game home-stand. After putting up 153 points in a win over the Jazz, the Pelicans have lost three straight games to tough opponents (Thunder, Bucks, and Celtics). New Orleans is currently tied for 8th in the West with the Dallas Mavericks. Houston only trails the Pels by three games in the loss column, and could cut that number to two with a win tonight.

Zion Williamson is questionable for tonight’s matchup, and it’s sounding like he will end up sitting out with a bone contusion. Regardless of his absence, New Orleans still has plenty of weapons to give Houston trouble. Brandon Ingram seems to always play at a superstar-level against the Rockets. The same can be said for guard C.J. McCollum. This duo will be the focal point of Houston’s defense tonight. Jonas Valanciunas could cause trouble in the paint with his massive size and rebounding ability. Alperen Sengun has another challenge on his hands tonight, but The Wizard should be up to the task.

The Rockets are 2-0 so far against the Pelicans this season, with a win coming in Houston and in New Orleans earlier this season. The final match between this teams is on February 22nd in The Big Easy. For now, the Rockets will try and stay perfect against a Pelicans team they’ve performed well against this season. Tari Eason is still out for Houston, but everyone else is seemingly ready to give it a go. Comparable to Monday, the Rockets need to get off to a fast start… and they should be able to be victorious on the second leg of this home-stand.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

New Orleans Pelicans (26-21):  Navy

Houston Rockets (22-24):  White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Romp Lakers, 135-119, En Route to Dominant Win

Track Stars.    Intensity Surge.    Better Together.

Cam Whitmore turned this game into a track meet near the end of the first quarter. And the Lakers couldn’t run with the Rockets, as Houston ousted L.A., 135-119, on Monday night. Whitmore scored all 12 points to fuel a 12-2 run to end the first period that essentially broke the game open for the Rockets. Houston would lead by as many as 30 points. The Lakers went on a run late to cut the lead to 10, but that’s as close as they would get to topping the Rockets on this night. Dillon Brooks once again got in the head of LeBron James, causing a late flop by King James, which resulted in LeBron calling for Brooks to be ejected. The refs were smart enough to realize Brooks didn’t make a dirty play. L.A.’s forward Jarred Vanderbilt was ejected in the first half for getting into a scuffle with Brooks. He poked Brooks, pleading for a reaction from “The Villain.” However, Brooks just laughed as the officials tossed Vanderbilt from the game. Houston out-hustled and out-played the Lakers on Monday night, and the Rockets’ swagger irritated LeBron and co., who are desperately trying to stay in playoff contention.

Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green led the offensive charge for the Rockets against the Lakers. Sengun recorded 31 points, 12 boards, and 7 assists in another All-Star caliber performance. Green had arguably his best game of the season. Jalen scored a season-high 34 points on a very efficient 12-for-23 shooting from the floor, including an improved 4-for-10 from beyond the arc. Cam Whitmore produced 20 points off the bench in only 18 minutes of action. There seems to be something out Cam’s play that has brought out the best in Green. Jalen’s recent intensity surge may be tied to Whitmore threatening Green’s spot for playing time. Whatever is motivating Green, it’s been a relief to watch for Rockets fans, as Green was mired in the worst slump of his career earlier this season. Green has scored 29 or more points in three of his last four games, and he’s grabbed 32 rebounds over the past three contests, unheard of numbers on the glass for Jalen. On Monday night Green had a career-high 12 rebounds. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 18 points and grabbed 9 boards, and Dillon Brooks added 17 points, as the Rockets used a balanced attack to down the Lakers. On a rare night, Fred VanVleet failed to make a shot, but he did manage to dish out 14 assists, as the veteran doesn’t need to score to be productive on the court.

Houston simply used more energy and hustle to beat the L.A. The Rockets out-rebounded the Lakers by 10 on the offensive glass, and scored 13 more second-chance points than L.A. Up next, Houston hosts the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The Pels are a few games ahead of the Rockets, and Houston can continue striving on their goal of sneaking into the Play-In by taking down New Orleans on Wednesday night.

Rockets Host Lakers in Season Series Finale

Lake Show Finale.    Four Quarters.    Protecting Home. 

The Rockets return home to commence a three-game home-stand on Monday night. Houston will commence the proceedings by hosting LeBron James and the Lakers for the final time this season on Monday night. Houston is 1-2 against L.A. this season, with both losses coming on the road. The Rockets will try and even the season series with a victory tonight. The Lakers have won two straight, and are coming off one of the best games of the entire NBA season, a thrilling double-OT win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. L.A. enters tonight with a 24-23 record, leading Houston by only one game in the loss column. Currently, the Lakers are tied with the Jazz for the final two Play-In spots out West. The Rockets can creep a little closer with a win tonight.

If Houston wants to start this home stretch on a positive note, they need to get off to a hot start. More importantly, this Rockets team needs to put four quarters of solid basketball together. Houston has struggled playing only one good half, or sometimes only a quarter, in recent games. if the squad can string four efficient quarters together they should have a good chance to beat L.A. on Monday night. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have both carried questionable tags for essentially the entire season. Neither has missed many games. LeBron didn’t play on the 23rd a few games ago. But AD hasn’t missed a game since December 15th, so expect both Lakers superstars to suit up for tonight’s matchup.

Alperen Sengun has had a brilliant season, but recently he’s performed a little below expectations. Look for Houston’s All-Star of the future to have a bounce-back game tonight. Jalen Green typically plays well against the Lakers. The guard has been scoring the ball well lately, although he’s really struggled shooting the three. Green has been superb from mid-range and attacking the basket, but when he settles for three, it usually results in a miss. Hopefully he’s attacking the rim tonight, but with a big AD defining the paint for the Lakers, this could be another game that sees Jalen settle for too many threes. Tari Eason is still on the injury report, but Jabari Smith Jr. is finally rumored to make his return after missing several games. Jabari’s return to the lineup, along with playing back in Toyota Center, should give the Rockets enough of a boost to even the season series with the Lakers tonight.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Los Angeles Lakers (24-23):  Yellow

Houston Rockets (21-24):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  Space City Home Network,  NBA League Pass

Furious Rally Falls Short for Rockets in 106-104 Loss to Nets

Not Ready.    Failure to Seize.    New York Minute.

Houston had every opportunity imaginable to pull-off a comeback in Brooklyn to end their brief two-game trip. However, the Rockets failed to capitalize on all the chances the Nets continued to give Houston in the final moments. Brooklyn tried to lose this game, giving the Rockets many opportunities late to gain a lead, but ultimately, Houston failed to capitalize on the Nets’ mistakes. The Rockets rallied from a 28-point deficit in the first half, but ultimately fell short in Brooklyn, as they lost to the Nets, 106-104, on Saturday night. Houston trailed Brooklyn, 47-19, in the second period of this contest. The Rockets put on a furious rally, but their slow start prevented them from escaping Brooklyn with a victory. Cam Thomas was scorching hot, leading the Nets with a season-high 37 points. Jalen Green, Can Whitmore, and Dillon Brooks scored 19 points apiece to pace Houston. Green also had 10 rebounds as he continues to slowly contribute more across the board besides scoring. Alperen Sengun had another quiet game, registering only 15 points to go with 11 boards. 

Coming off a win the night before, one would have suspected the Rockets would’ve had some momentum entering this contest. But Houston came out flat in Brooklyn, mustering only 15 points in the first quarter, resulting in a 20-point deficit after twelve minutes of action. The Rockets have had problems putting four quarters together to win games. Houston either plays well in the first half, or the second half. They’ve struggled mightily over recent games to string two solid halves together. The squad will now return home for a three-game stretch this week that includes games with the Lakers, Pelicans, and Raptors.

The Rockets now have a record of 21-24, good for 11th place in the Western Conference. They trail the 10th place Utah Jazz by only one game in the loss column. And things can change in a New York Minute seemingly in the West standings with the Conference so tightly jumbled. Houston can still sneak into the Play-In Tournament if they can manage to consistently string some wins together. Since that initial seven-game home-stand to start the season, the Rockets have been merely a .500 ball club. Houston started the season 6-3, but the Rockets have gone 21-21 since that first home-stand ended.  Up next, the Rockets return to Toyota Center to start a three-game home-stand. Houston hosts the Lakers in the teams’ final meeting on Monday night. L.A. will pose a greater challenge than Brooklyn, so the Rockets need to get off to a fast start if they want to start this mini home stretch with a win.