Blog

Rockets Aim for Different Results in Rocky Rematch with Nuggets

Rematch Time.    Quarter Mark.    Sharing a Laugh.

“We’re destined to do this forever,” the Joker says in the iconic 2008 film, The Dark Knight. The Rockets are trying to avoid another dark night in Denver as they play the Nuggets for the second straight game. Houston’s “Little Joker”, Alperen Sengun, stood up well against the real “Joker”, Nikola Jokic. Notably in the first half, where the two talented big-men went toe-to-toe before Jokic took over the second half and led the Nuggets to victory. It’s rare in the NBA schedule for a team to play the same opponent twice in a row. Since COVID, this has been a trend. Reducing travel costs and other conveniences, but it’s hard to beat the same team twice in a row, regardless of their record. The Rockets will hope that trend plays in their favor of Wednesday night.

Tonight’s matchup marks the quarter point of the season officially for Houston. the Rockets will have played 21 games after tonight, and are on pace for 20 wins this season. Although expect more victories as the schedule eases up during the second half of the season. Houston would love to close the first quarter of this campaign with a victory over one of the NBA’s best teams, and get some revenge for Monday night’s loss. The Rockets are 5-15, looking searching for that elusive sixth victory of the season.

Expect more of the same tonight, as the two Jokers will go head-to-head in what certainly will once again be the matchup to watch in tonight’s contest. Sengun has no fear going up against the two-time reigning MVP. It’s matter of receiving necessary support from his teammates. His comrades Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and the rest of the squad need to prevent Jamal Murray from having another 30-point night, and also help out in the battle of the bigs down low, who despite the competition, will likely share a laugh or two. After all, as we witnessed on Monday night, until their careers are over… these two are destined to face-off forever.

 

Ball Arena:  Denver, Colorado

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (5-15):  Black

Denver Nuggets (13-7):  White

 

Tip-Off:  8:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Lose Steam in Second Half, Fall to Nuggets, 129-113, in Denver

Hateful Eight.    Second Half Struggles.    The Big Bad Jokers.

Aleperen Sengun, aka “Little Joker”, held his own against his “idol”, back-to-back MVP Nikola “The Joker” Jokic on Monday night, to begin Houston’s four-game west coast trip. Seungun led the Rockets in scoring with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Jokic and Jamal Murray combined to score 63 points on 65% shooting overall to ensure Houston had no chance of pulling the upset. As a result, Denver dealt the Rockets a 129-113 defeat on Monday night. The Rockets stood toe-to-toe with the Nuggets in the first half, trailing by only two points entering the break, However, the Rockets lacked fire coming out of the break, and scored only five more points in the second half than they registered in the entire first quarter alone. Houston needs to come out strong after halftime on Wednesday night, as these teams square off-again in Denver. The third quarter will arguably once again be the key, as the Rockets have often struggled playing out of the break, especially if they’re too comfortable, (aka the game is close or they have the lead).

On Monday, Jokic was perfect in the third period. The Joker went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field, and didn’t need to even score in the fourth quarter, as the Nuggets pulled away with a 10-1 run to close the third quarter. As mentioned previously, Sengun, aka, “Little Joker” led Houston with 18 points, but he contributed only 3 points in the Rockets dismal second half. Other than Jalen Green, who had another off-shooting night, going 5-for-15 from the field for 17 points, Houston didn’t shoot the ball poorly in this matchup. The Rockets shot 45.9% from the floor, and an above average, but not great, 36.4% from three-point range. After a string of three consecutive solid games, Jabari was somewhat underwhelming. The rookie needed to be more aggressive on Monday. Jabari took only four shots, and made three of them. Obviously, Denver’s bigger lineup and physicality is a part of the NBA game that Houston’s promising rookie is still adjusting too. Look for Smith Jr. to receive more opportunities as these squads battle again in the rematch on Wednesday night. The Rockets need him to contribute like he did this past weekend if Houston wants to end their dreadful eight-game skid to the Nuggets.

The Big Bad Joker. The back-to-back reining MVP. Nikola Jokic is the real deal, and he proved it once again on Monday night, albeit with much-needed assistance from Jamal Murray. Both players put on 11-for-17 shooting displays, and if the Rockets want any chance of taking Part 2 of this mini-series, they need to contain Denver’s lethal duo. Houston needs to make the rest of the Nuggets beat them. Whether it’s Aaron Gordon, Ish Smith, or Zeke Nnaji (someone most people have never head of) rising from the dead, and having the best game of his life. Nnaji scored 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting in only 18 minutes of action on Monday, third in scoring behind Jokic and Murray. Well, up next these teams hit the hardwood for a rematch on Wednesday night. Same place, Denver’s Ball Arena. Hopefully, the Rockets have had some time to acclimate with the altitude… and possibly shock the Nuggets in the rematch of the NBA’s “Jokers.”

Rockets Hope Winning Ways Travel, Begin Four-Game Trip in Denver

Rocky Road Ahead.    Altitude Adjustment.    Mile-High Two Step.    

Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets look to continue streaking in the right direction, as they battle Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets tonight in the Mile High City. Monday’s match is the first of four straight on the road for the Rockets, including the first of two in a row in Denver. These squads will square up for a rematch on Wednesday night. The Nuggets are off to a 12-7 start, and will likely be contending for the Western Conference throne come May. Denver has All-Star guard Jamal Murray back in the fold after he missed the entire season last year due to injury. Along with “The Joker”, the Nuggets boast one of the best duos in the entire league.

For now, Houston needs to hope the momentum from winning two straight for the first time all season travels with them on the road. They’ll need to adjust to the altitude in Denver, as it really does have an effect on the players’ performances. Maybe the Rockets are young enough to withstand the altitude, and play on sheer drive to earn a tough victory. Jabari Smith Jr.’s play seems to improve with each game, and Houston will need another solid outing from their rookie if they want to upset the Nuggets tonight. Expect different schemes of rotations tonight, as some players will be hampered by the altitude more than others.

This is the first of two in a row against the Nuggets, with the second match coming Wednesday. Will the Rockets still be suffering from winners’ hangover after securing their first streak of the season? Expect a closer game than most expect tonight. For many Rockets, this is their first game playing in the altitude. If Houston’s going to pull the upset in Denver over one of these next two games, tonight puts the odds slightly more in the Rockets favor compared to Wednesday. Houston will be the underdogs this entire road trip, and expect the squad to scare, and maybe even upset the Nuggets tonight. The Rockets are on a roll, and have been playing consistently better in the past few weeks… anything’s possible tonight.

Ball Arena:  Denver, Colorado

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (5-14):  Red

Denver Nuggets (12-7):  Navy Blue

 

Tip-Off:  8:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Silence Thunder, 118-105, for First Winning Streak of Season

Going Streaking.    Turkish Thunder.    Turning the Corner.

For the first time all season, the Rockets won consecutive games, silencing the Thunder, 118-105, en route to a perfect home weekend. Jalen Green led the Rockets in scoring with 28 points on an efficient 11-for-19 shooting from the floor, but it was his distributing that drew the most attention. Green had a career high 9 assists as he continues to improve as a playmaker on the floor. Then Rockets withstood an “average” night from Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 32 points, right around his average on the season. Houston’s Alperen Sengun had arguably his best game of his NBA career. After returning from a one-game absence due to injury, Sengun had an absolutely dominant night.

The Turkish sensation scored 21 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, dished out 7 assists, and also had 3 steals and 2 blocks for good measure. Sengun was unstoppable against a young-OKC who had no answers for Houston’s big-man. Jabari Smith Jr. had another solid game for the Rockets, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in another efficient game. Jabari’s certainly turned a corner with his play compared to the first ten games of the season, Smith Jr. looks like a completely different, and more comfortable player.

In rare circumstances, the Rockets played with a lead for the almost the entirety of the game. After a hot start, OKC finished with a late comeback attempt to make the final score appear closer than the game actually was. For the first time all season, Houston controlled this contest from start to finish. Up next, the Rockets hit the road again for a brutal four-game road trip out West. Their opponents: the current top two seeds in the West (Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns), and the defending champs (Golden State Warriors). Elements are about to get trickier for this young Houston squad, as they head out on the road for another tough stretch in the schedule. Hopefully, they can steal a win or two, as they’ve certainly improved their play over the last few games. After that horrible loss against the Clippers that put Houston’s record at 2-12, the Rockets are 3-2 since. The squad’s certainly turned a corner, but the ultimate test awaits them in arguably the toughest road trip of the season. The squad will begin the festivities in Denver as they battle the Nuggets for two straight games in the Mile High City, on Monday and Wednesday respectively. Hopefully the momentum from Houston’s first winning streak of the year will travel with the team on the road… otherwise the Rockets could be in trouble over their next four games.

Rockets Host Thunder in Second Half of Weekend Back-to-Back

Part 2.    Beating the Numbers.    Incoming Silent Superstar.

Coming off their best victory of the season, a 128-122 comeback win over the Hawks on Friday night, the Rockets are back in action Saturday night, as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is the second of two straight home games for Houston after having a rare four consecutive days off over Thanksgiving. Luckily for the Rockets, the Thunder also played last night, garnering a tough overtime win over the Chicago Bulls at home. Both teams will be playing with tired legs, but this will be OKC’s third game in four nights, so Houston should have the rest advantage. Plus, they’ll be seeing the return of Alperen Sengun, who missed the previous game with a groin injury. Friday night’s win over Atlanta was the most exciting of this young season, and don’t expect the excitement to lower as the Rockets face arguably the league’s Most Improved Player, and budding superstar in Shai Gilegeous-Alexander.

SGA is in his fifth season, fourth with OKC, and this year he’s taken the clear jump from All-Star to Superstar. If the Thunder (8-11) were a winning team, the Kentucky product would be the clear front-runner for MVP. Oklahoma City is not much of a team without SGA. They’ve already gotten off to a better start than most expected, due to SGA’s MVP-caliber play and clutch-shot making. You haven’t heard his name among the likes of Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Giannis, and other bonafide superstars in this league. But you will soon enough. SGA’s not even a quarter into the midst of a true breakout-superstar season. His popularity will increase as the year moves along. If the Rockets want any chance tonight, they have to hope Shai is having on off-night, otherwise Houston could be in trouble, as they’re facing arguably the most lethal perimeter driver in the league.

All the odds are stacked against Houston tonight. Besides being the literal underdog, the Rockets haven’t won consecutive games all season, and are faced with that challenge once again tonight as they battle the Thunder. There is good news, Alperen Sengun, who missed last night’s thriller, is making his return to the lineup. And OKC is no juggernaut. Houston is more than capable of beating the Thunder tonight. Both teams are coming off hard-fought wins last night, but OKC had to travel from Oklahoma to Houston. The Rockets didn’t travel other than to their own beds. Plus the squad is playing with momentum after their fiery comeback win over Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and the Hawks last night. Houston withstood a combined 83 points from Atlanta’s potent duo last night. Can they contain the NBA’s silent superstar, and win consecutive games for the first time all season? It should be an exciting affair on Saturday night. Expect a close game that could go either way, hopefully the Rockets have some of that clutch magic in store from last night’s comeback win… they’ll need some more tonight if they want to best the Thunder.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Oklahoma City Thunder (8-11):  Orange

Houston Rockets (4-14):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  NBA TV,  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Storm Back to Stun Hawks, 128-122, After Dominant Fourth Quarter

Poking the Bird.    Dominating the Boards.    Right at Home.

If you checked in on this game midway through the third period, and saw the Rockets facing a 16-point deficit, you probably figured they were headed for another defeat. Well, Houston flipped the switch, and after a testy third quarter, stormed back from that 16-point deficit to shock the Hawks, 128-122, on Friday night. Jalen Green was on against Atlanta, scoring 30 points on an efficient 10-for-17 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. had another strong outing, scoring 21 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Kenyon Martin Jr. had arguably his best game as pro. KJ Martin got the striating nod due to the injuries to Eric Gordon and Alperen Sengun, and the youngster once again showed why he deserves as many minutes as possible. Martin scored 21 points, and swarmed the glass for a career-high 15 rebounds. But it was the return of Garrison “Garry Bird” Mathews, who arguably provided the biggest spark. After struggling the previous few games in limited playing time, Garry Bird returned just in time with some huge clutch three-pointers to help the Rockets stave off the Hawks, and earn the victory. Mathews finished with a season-high 20 points in the contest.

Houston withstood monster nights from Atlanta’s lethal backcourt. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined to torch the Rockets for 83 points, but some unnecessary taunting by the pair led to technicals, and fired Houston’s squad up. The Rockets motto is Light the Fuse, and Atlanta certainly helped by poking the bear, or bird, in Garrison Mathews. Dejounte Murray initially taunted Jabari Smith Jr., which started the commotion. Smith’s teammates had his back in the comeback win, especially Mathews, one of the league’s grittiest players.

This game shouldn’t have been as close as it was considering Houston dominated the rebound battle on Friday. The Rockets out rebounded the Hawks 59 to 28, and they scored 37 second-chance points, while limiting Atlanta to only 2 second-chance points. Young and Murray did nearly all the heavy lifting for the Hawks, who had only one other player, A.J. Griffin, score in double figures. Houston showed poise down the stretch and finally came out on the right side of a comeback game. The Rockets are used to giving up big leads, or trailing and coming up short. On Friday they bucked that trend with the impressive come-from-behind win, outscoring Atlanta 34-18 in the final period.

Houston gets right back in action at home on Saturday night as they host the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC has one of the rising superstars in the league in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who will pose headaches for the Rockets’ defense. Houston has to hope the momentum from this victory over the Hawks, their best win of the season, can carry over to Saturday night. The Rockets will be playing a team with a worse record, but with arguably an even hotter player than the lethal backcourt they faced tonight. SGA has been the surprise of the season in terms of individual jumps in player performance… if Houston can contain him somehow, they might be able to avoid defeat once again on Saturday night.

Rockets Host Hawks in First of Two Straight Home Games

Back to Work.    Missing Pieces.    Part 1.

After having a rare four days off, the Rockets are back in action Friday night, as they host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Houston will look to capitalize on the rest, and see if they can upset a likely playoff-bound Hawks team. Atlanta holds the fourth spot currently in the Eastern Conference standings, but they’re an average 4-4 in their last 8 games. The Rockets have more than enough firepower to upset Trae Young, former-Rocket Clint Capela, and the rest of the Hawks if they can stay disciplined on the defensive end, and control the basketball. This is the third game in Houston’s four-game home-stand, which ends tomorrow night when the Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Houston will unfortunately be without two key pieces in tonight’s matchup with Atlanta. Starting center Alperen Sengun, and veteran Eric Gordon will both miss Friday’s tilt due to injuries. The Rockets will need everyone else on the roster to step up, as everyone will likely receive more minutes as a result of the injuries. Bruno Fernando is expected to make his return, and start at center tonight for Houston. The Rockets will need rookies Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason to replicate their performances they put on against Golden State on Sunday night. Both players set career-highs in scoring, and rebounded the ball well. Houston needs a similar effort if the Rockets want to beat the Hawks without Sengun and EG.

This is the first of two straight home games, another rarity in the schedule, as the Rockets will host the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night. Houston’s had four days off and plenty of time to rest, so hopefully they can endure this upcoming double-header. It’s at home, so no travel will be involved, which will help the Rockets case. Houston really needs to win one of these next two games, for pride purposes, if not for anything else. Every team in the NBA has at least 5 wins except, the Houston Rockets. At 3-14, the Rockets are are distancing themselves with the worst record in the league. They’ll be in the Victor Wembanyama stakes regardless, as it appears Houston will likely finish with one of the worst records, if not the worst in the entire league. After being granted the rare in-season mini-vacation, it’s time to for the Rockets to get a rare win by beating Trae Young and the Hawks to start this weekend back-to-back.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Atlanta Hawks (11-7):  Black

Houston Rockets (3-14):  “Hardwood Classics” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall to Warriors, 127-120, Remain Winless on Home-Stand

Too Much Klay.    Career Nights.    Fall Break.

The Rockets tried to run with the Warriors, but after a valiant effort, they ultimately fell short, 127-120, on Sunday night. After a frenetic first half that saw Houston trail by as many as 18 points, and then comeback to grab a 9-point lead, the second half saw these teams trade blows. In the end, Golden State had too much firepower for the Rockets to withstand. Klay Thompson got the party started for the Warriors, scoring 20 of his 41 points in the first quarter. Klay had been struggling to start the year, but he made this visit to Houston his breakout game of the season. Thompson nailed 10 of his 13 attempts from three, and shot 14-for-23 overall from the floor. Stephen Curry started out in distribution mode, but finished the matchup with 31 points and 15 assists, as he had some key shots late to put the Rockets dreams of victory to sleep.

Kevin Porter Jr. led Houston with 30 points, but it was the rookies who had career nights for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason both set career-highs in scoring in what was their best games so far of their young NBA careers. Jabari ended the night with 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting, and grabbed 7 rebounds. Eason registered 19 points and had 8 boards on the evening, as Houston’s newcomers showed fans a taste of what’s to come in the future. Jalen Green once again struggled with his jumper. Green went only 1-for-8 beyond the arc, scoring below-average 16 points in the game. And KJ Martin continues to quietly play well off the bench, recording another double-digit scoring game with 12 points on the evening. Ultimately, Curry and Thompson were too much to overcome for the Rockets. The Splash Brothers combined for 74 points, and help came in the form of Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 points in the contest.

Houston now has a rare mini-break as we head into Thanksgiving week. The Rockets have the next four days off, but they’ll want to avoid falling behind their usual routines to maintain game-shape. Their next matchup isn’t until Black Friday, when they’ll host the Atlanta Hawks in the first of two straight games at Toyota Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder come to town on Saturday night to finish the back-to-back. Houston needs to get plenty of rest over these next few days and be prepared for tough matchups over the weekend. Trae Young and the Hawks are likely playoff bound once again, and the Thunder have arguable the Most-Improved Player who’s putting up MVP-caliber numbers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA has been playing out of his mind. So rest up Rockets… as next weekend the squad will need fresh legs to run with these incoming superstars.

Rockets Seeking Second Home Win, Host Warriors

Championship Hangover.    Needing Scoot and Sengun.    Nothing to Lose.

Houston plays host to the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Sunday night. The Rockets are coming off a collapse Friday night at the hands of the Pacers to begin this current four-game home-stand. Steph Curry and co. are off to a slow start to the season, even still searching for their first road win. The Warriors are 7-9 on the year, including 0-8 on the road. Houston will look to extend that streak to nine with a victory over the Dubs tonight. The bad news is, Golden State is starting to heat up. After a five-game losing streak, the Warriors have won three of their last five games, but still have yet to get that elusive first road victory. Golden State will be entering Toyota Center confident, and hungry, for their first win away from the bay all season. If the Rockets aren’t focused and locked in from the opening tip, Houston could be in trouble tonight.

More bad news comes in the form of Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun’s status for the game, they’re both listed as questionable for Sunday’s battle. Sengun was a late-addition to the injury report with groin soreness, while KPJ missed Houston’s loss on Friday night. Scoot’s absence was sorely felt, and if Porter Jr. can’t suit up on Sunday, the Rockets are in big trouble against a back-court dominant Warriors team. Besides Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Houston will have to contain the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, along with the usual pesky Draymond Green, who always seems to have a big game against the Rockets. Hopefully that’s not the case tonight for a Houston team desperately seeking its second home win of the season.

Regardless of who ends up suiting up for the Rockets, the squad has to leave it all on the floor tonight against the Dubs. After tonight’s tilt, Houston has the next four days off, which is something very rare in the schedule. Besides, the All-Star break, the squad’s largest break last season was three days off. Two off days in a row is rare, three is hardly seen, and four seemed non-existent, but it’s hear on the schedule after this matchup. The Rockets needs to play with the physicality we witnessed in Dallas that led to 19 blocked shots for the Rockets, and an impressive victory, if they want the same result tonight against a Golden State team who’s desperate to notch their first road win of the year. Houston has to literally play with blood, sweat, and tears… leave everything out there on the hardwood tonight, as they have plenty of time to rest their wounds after this battle. The Rockets need to play under control, but with nothing to lose. Four days of rest await the squad after Sunday’s tilt. Houston’s next game after tonight is back at Toyota Center on Friday to host Trae Young and the Hawks.

The Rockets have to hope Sengun and Scoot suit up tonight, but even if they don’t, Houston has a plethora of guys they can call on to step up and provide useful, effective minutes. The question is, are they up for the task? If the Rockets don’t play with a sense-of-urgency from the opening tip, they’re in trouble tonight. Expect a close game Houston can win if the Rockets are locked-in and ready to play with desperation. If Houston’s more focused on their upcoming four-day mini-break, and Golden State’s current 0-8 road record… expect the defending champs to do what they did frequently during their title run last year, and deal another opponent a home loss. Hopefully the Rockets are ready to go, and determined to continue the Warriors’ road woes tonight.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Golden State Warriors (7-9):  Blue

Houston Rockets (3-13):  “Hardwood Classics” White

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall Apart in Ugly 99-91 Loss to Pacers

Home-Stopped.    A Tale of Two Halves.    Missing Scoot.

The Rockets home-stand got off to a brilliant start in the beginning of their matchup with the Pacers. Indiana scored the first bucket of the game, but afterwards Houston outscored the Pacers 25-4, and ended up with a 25-10 lead after the first quarter. That lead would extend to as many as 20 points in the second period, before Indiana slowly began to chip away. Their head coach, Rick Carlisle, got ejected in the second period, which sparked the Pacers run, and the game was only a five-point favor in Houston’s way, 50-45, heading into halftime. Unfortunately, the Rockets couldn’t hang on, and the Pacers stormed back to lead by as many as ten points, eventually dealing Houston a 99-91 defeat. It appeared like the Rockets got a little too comfortable with that 20-point edge, and once the Pacers became more locked into the game, Houston had a steamroller headed their way.

As great as the Rockets were defensively, this was the second straight opponent Houston has held under 100 points, the Rockets offense seemed to stop. They managed only 41 points in the second half, good for only 91 in the game. Houston shot only 34% from the field, including a dismal 21% from three-point range. Alperen Sengun had 5 of the team’s near-record 19 blocks in the squad’s previous matchup, the win in Dallas. Against Indiana, the Rockets only garnered 4 blocks as an entire team for the night. Tyrese Haliburton led the way for the Pacers with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. After a slow start, Myles Turner got hot late for Indiana, and punished Houston with 17 points and 7 boards. Four more players scored in double figures for the Pacers, who withstood a terrible 3-for-15 shooting night from Buddy Hield, usually one of the league’s best sharpshooters.

Eric Gordon had his best game of the season, leading the Rockets with 24 points to go along with 6 boards and 3 dimes. Jalen Green had another awful shooting night from then floor, going 2-for-10 from the field. However, he was much better from the charity stripe, tying a career-high with 12 free throws made (out of 15 attempted). Green finished the night with 16 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists. He continues to improve his rebounding and distributing, but Green’s shot has been inconsistent overall as we near the quarter mark of this season. He started off hot, and then seemed to cool off, Green’s too good of a player to be a streaky shooter. Look for his shot to improve as the season moves along. Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds, but also continues to struggle shooting the basketball. Jabari went 4-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-8 beyond the arc. The Rockets need their young guys to be more efficient taking that many attempts if they want to avoid future collapses comparable to this game against the Pacers.

Houston really missed Kevin Porter Jr. tonight, who missed the contest with an injury. Scoot creates more space for Jalen Green and the rest of his teammates, and is off to a nice start to the season. KPJ’s injury doesn’t appear to be anything serious, but the Rockets need him back as soon as possible. They are a dysfunctional team offensively without Scoot running the show. If Porter Jr. played Friday night, Houston likely avoids blowing a 20-point lead. He’s one of the most important players on this squad, and his absence proved it in the loss to the Pacers. Up next, the Golden State Warriors come to town. The defending-champs are off to a slow start to the season. Their record stands at 7-9, and they’re still winless on the road, at 0-8. It would be brilliant if the Rockets could push Golden State’s road losing streak to nine on Sunday night… and finally get their second home-win of the season in part-two of this current home-stand.