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Rockets Visit Spurs in Another Chapter of I-10 Rivalry

Three You Again.    Start of Seven.    Closing the Gap.

On Friday night, Houston squares off against the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in as many weeks. The Rockets took the first matchup in San Antonio on January 12th, 128-124. Twelve days ago, the Spurs prevailed victorious in part 2, smashing Houston by 30 points, 134-104, at Toyota Center. Tonight’s Round 3 between these instate-rivals is being held in the Alamo City, where the Spurs are coming off a loss to the Miami Heat last night. The Rockets cruise into San Antonio after snapping an 11-game home losing streak with a win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday. San Antonio’s best player, Dejounte Murray, has missed two of the past three games for the Spurs, and is questionable for tonight’s matchup. Obviously Murray’s presence (or lack thereof) will make a big difference in the third round of this rivalry. It shouldn’t matter to the Rockets, who’ve already beaten the Spurs in San Antonio, on a night when arguably Murray had the best game of his career. Houston needs to focus on keeping their turnover rate low, and ensuring they come out with a lot of defensive energy against the Spurs. The road team has won both of the previous contests, and the Rockets will aim to keep that trend alive tonight. Houston better be prepared. Since the last time these teams faced off, the Spurs have had an immensely tough five-game schedule against the top-five teams in the NBA: Phoenix, Golden State, Memphis, Chicago, and Miami. San Antonio will be relieved to see a weaker opponent on the schedule tonight. The Rockets need to blast off from the opening tip and punch the Spurs in the mouth. If they grab a big lead like they did against Cleveland, Houston should be able to put San Antonio away.

Tonight’s game marks the first of seven remaining before the All-Star Break, which starts for the Rockets after their game on Februrary 17th. Houston enters the break with four extremely tough matchups. Before then, they’ll see these Spurs, and the Pelicans twice. It’s a chance for the Rockets to get a couple of wins before a grueling schedule meets Houston as they enter the All-Star break. The Rockets have shown they can beat the Spurs in San Antonio. However, Houston also lost to the Spurs by 30 points less than two weeks ago at Toyota Center. Effort is the key coming into tonight’s contest. Whichever team plays harder, and smarter, will prevail as the victor. Zach Collins, who last played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the bubble back in 2020, is expected to make his San Antonio debut for the Spurs tonight. Collins likely won’t play many minutes and shouldn’t be a big factor in tonight’s game, but when healthy he’s shown glimpses of promising talent.

Houston still sits in last place in the Western Conference. The Spurs are in 12th place, but with a win tonight, the Rockets can move to within one game of San Antonio in the loss column. Houston still has a puncher’s chance to sneak into the play-in tournament, but it’s still a long-shot. Games like tonight are ones the Rockets need to win if they seriously want to sneak into the playoffs. This young Houston squad is likely a few years away from postseason action, but they’re growing and improving with each game. After tonight, the Rockets return home to face the Pelicans on Sunday. It’s a short one-game road-trip for Houston, and part three in the I-10 rivalry… maybe the third time will be the charm for the Rockets, and result in another win in the Alamo City.

 

AT&T Center:  San Antonio, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (15-36):  Red

San Antonio Spurs (19-34):  White “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  7:30 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Outlast Cavs, 115-104, to Snap Home Skid

Victory at Last.    Rookie Resurgence.    Dealing with the Deadline.

For the first time in 2022, the Houston Rockets finally won a home game. Houston held off Cleveland, 115-104, to close their four-game home-stand. The win puts the Rockets’ franchise record 11-game losing streak to bed. The Cavaliers were without their All-Star Darius Garland, but that didn’t mean this contest was a cakewalk for Houston. The third overall pick in last year’s draft, Evan Mobley, showed why he’s probably going to be named Rookie of the Year at season’s end. Mobley had a dominant 29 points and 12 rebounds for the Cavs, who also got a vintage performance from Kevin Love, chipping in with 21 points. Jalen Green and Christian Wood led the Rockets with 21 points apiece, while Kevin Porter Jr. supplied 16 points and 7 assists for Houston. The Rockets led by only one point after the first quarter, but outscored Cleveland by 10 points in the second period to take control of the game.

After hitting the “Rookie Wall” a few games back, Jalen Green is starting to play more efficiently once again for the Rockets. Green shot 6-for-13 from the floor, including 3-for-7 from distance. If Green keeps playing at an efficient level, the numbers will follow. And Alperen Sengun, who also had a small run-in with the “Rookie Wall” put together a strong game in 24 minutes. Sengun registered 9 points on only 4 shots, grabbed 8 boards, and dished 3 assists in only 24 minutes. Houston’s other rookie, Josh Christopher, who didn’t see as many minutes as in recent games, continues to thrive and grow with each game. Christopher scored 5 points and grabbed 3 boards in only 12 minutes, but it’s what he does off the ball and on defense that has improved immensely since the start of the season.

With the trade deadline approaching, now less than a week away, the Rockets are rumored to be players on February 10th. Christian Wood and Eric Gordon are the biggest names that have been discussed in rumors. Wood had a solid night against the Cavs, registering 21 points, 7 boards, 4 assists, and 2 steals. Gordon scored 11 points on an off-shooting night, but interested teams know the veteran’s value. Hopefully Houston makes the best choice with both players. As a fan of the team, it will be hard to see either player leave. Wood has so much promise and potential to be an All-Star, but it seems like the franchise is ready to unleash Alperen Sengun. Although I’m not totally sold on the idea the two can’t play well and mesh together on the court. They haven’t had enough opportunities. EG is the longest current-tenured player on the Rockets, and his veteran presence has been a steady guide for this young team during this rocky season. Gordon’s in the midst of his most efficient shooting season of his career, and can help a contender reach the ultimate goal. It would be nice to see EG and Wood remain in Houston, but at first glance… that seems like a long-shot.

Rockets Desperate for a Home Victory, Duel with Cavaliers

Spoiling the Surprise.    Blasting Out the Gate.    One for the Road.

 

Kevin Porter Jr. faces off against his former team, as the Rockets host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. It’s the final game of four in a row at home for Houston. They’ve lost all three games so far, and will look to end their four-game losing streak tonight. The Cavs are the surprise team of the NBA this season. Since LeBron James left the team a few years ago, Cleveland hasn’t been close to making the playoffs.

As we’ve witnessed in Houston, times, and eras, change. The Cavs currently sit in fourth place in the East, only a half game out of third. Even with their supposed best player Collin Sexton out for the season, why are the Cavs so much better this year? A few reasons. Darius Garland is having a breakout season, and looks like a legitimate All-Star in the making. And the guy selected right after Houston’s Jalen Green in the draft, Evan Mobley, the third pick, is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year this season. Mobley’s had instant impact and looks like a legitimate All-Star in the future. And Jarrett Allen has played like an All-Star big man in the post for the Cavs. Cleveland plays hard every night behind former Rocket-coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Like their coach, they play with a chip on their shoulder, and Houston could be in trouble if they’re not ready from the opening tip.

The Rockets’ biggest issue during their losing streak has been the squad’s failure to get off to hot starts. Houston has fallen behind by double digits before halftime in all the losses in their current skid. It’s hard to play fighting from behind all game. If the Rockets can blast out the gates tonight, they’ll have a chance against a very talented Cavs team.

After tonight’s contest, Houston heads out on the road for one game before returning back home. It would be nice to see the squad win at least one game during this home-stand. Especially after a successful road-trip which, at the time, seemed to give the Rockets momentum. They’ll try and get some of that momentum back and spoil the NBA’s surprise team with a big win tonight.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Cleveland Cavaliers (31-20):  White

Houston Rockets (14-36):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Houston’s Rally Falls Short as Curry Ignites Warriors Past Rockets, 122-108

Same Old Story.    Motivational Talk.    The Dog Days.

It was the same old story for the Rockets on Monday night. A slow start eventually doomed Houston, as they fell to the Warriors, 122-108, on Monday night. They failed to score for the first four minutes of the game, falling behind 10-0 early. Despite this early deficit, the Rockets managed to hold a 25-23 lead after the first quarter. But Golden State outscored the Rockets by 11 points in the second period, and Houston never cut the deficit less than 3 points. Stephen Curry scored 21 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter to ensure the Rockets’ rally would fail. Kevin Porter Jr. and Curry got into bit of trash talking before the Warriors’ star exploded in the final period, making some pundits believe KPJ’s “trash-talk” motivated Curry. Regardless. Houston fell short to one of the best teams in the NBA, and lost their 11th consecutive game at home, extending their franchise-record.

Christian Wood led the Rockets with 24 points and 13 boards, and KPJ added 17, but Houston could never overcome their deficit after Golden State took over in the second period. It’s hard to play fighting from behind all game long, and it’s a habit the Rockets need to buck if they want to win a game anytime soon.

It’s officially the dog days of the NBA. As we approach the All-Star Break, most teams are eagerly awaiting a much-needed break as they try and grind through a few more games before the break starts in mid-to-late February. Almost every team deals with this fatigue at this point in the season, but the Rockets are young enough to fight through the dog days, and grab a few upsets. If only they could get off to better starts. These early deficits have plagued Houston over their current four-game losing streak. The Rockets aim to end that trend on Wednesday night as the home-stand comes to a close with the Cleveland Cavaliers rolling into town. Unlike the past few years since LeBron James’ departure, this Cavs team is telling a new story, and are the surprise of the NBA this season. Houston better be on their toes, or they could be in for another loss at Toyota Center to end the home-stand.

Rockets Searching for Answers as Warriors Streak into Town

Revenge Night.    Spurring the Opposition.    Aiming for Early Launch.

After starting their previous road trip 3-1, the Rockets have now lost three consecutive games. And on Monday night, the last team Houston saw on the road, the Golden State Warriors, come to town for their lone visit to Toyota Center all season. Golden State begins their own road-trip tonight as they try and sweep the season-series with Houston. The Rockets are aiming to get revenge for the previous meeting between these squads, when Steph Curry hit the lone buzzer-beater of his career to give the Dubs the win ten days ago. Since that game, both teams have been headed in opposite directions.

For Houston, the loss in San Francisco was the first of three in a row so far. And for the Warriors, Curry’s shot spurred a team who was struggling mightily, as Golden State had lost six of nine games. The Warriors are now riding a five-game winning streak into Houston, as their victory over the Rockets started their current roll. Houston looks to slow down a dominant opponent with added reinforcements. Klay Thompson rested in the previous game between these clubs, so tonight is the first look the Rockets are getting at Klay this season. As expected, Thompson has improved as time’s gone by, but he still hasn’t even been back a month, so it’ll be while before fans see the Klay Thompson of yesteryear.

The biggest key to tonight’s game for Houston is getting off to a hot start. The Rockets have trailed by double-digits after the first quarter in both of their previous losses to start this four-game home-stand. If Houston can hang with the Warriors, and prevent Curry and the Dubs from stretching the lead to insurmountable heights, they have a chance to get revenge for Curry’s shot that painfully ended the Rockets’ most recent road trip. Houston’s lost a franchise-record ten consecutive games at home. They’ll look to end that streak tonight against a Golden State team that’s heating up at the right time. It should be a fun one at Toyota Center. Expect the Rockets to come out with more energy tonight, and at least make the matchup more competitive than the past couple of games. Kevin Porter Jr. returns after missing Friday night’s game due to an illness. Maybe Scoot’s return can ignite Houston to upset the Warriors, as these teams meet for the final time this season.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Golden State Warriors (37-13):  White

Houston Rockets (14-35):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Early Hole Dooms Rockets in 125-110 Loss to Blazers

A New Trio.    Home Woes.    Late Lift-Off.    

Oh how the wonders of a road trip can bring an NBA team together, especially a young group. And the Rockets are missing the road right now, as Houston struggled once again in their own building, falling to the Trail Blazers, 125-110, on Friday night. Similar to their previous loss to San Antonio, the Rockets were beaten by a balanced attack from the opposition. Six different players for Portland scored at least a dozen points. The trio of C.J. McCollum, Jusuf Nurkic, and Anfernee Simons combined for 78 points, as Houston had no answers for Portland’s three best healthy players. With Damian Lillard out for the season with an injury, Simons has basically stepped into Lillard’s role, and shown he’s a valuable commodity in this league. Simons is no superstar, but he led the Blazers with 27 points on Friday night. And while Portland is still struggling this season, Simons, McCollum, and Nurkic are by far the Blazers three best players behind Lillard, proving to be a formidable trio of sorts against weaker competition.

Christian Wood and Garrison Mathews scored 21 apiece to lead the Rockets. Jalen Green had a bounce back game with 17 points, and K.J. Martin had one of his best outings of the season, also adding 17 points for Houston. However, it wasn’t enough, as the squad dropped their third straight game. The Rockets got off to yet another slow start, a trend that’s been one of Houston’s worst habits all season. The Blazers held a 12-point edge after one quarter, with the Rockets failing to erase the deficit. It’s hard to play when you’re behind double-digits, even more difficult for one of the youngest teams in the NBA, in Houston. If the Rockets continue to get off to slow starts, they’re trimming their chances of winning, as the squad’s shown the ability to come back, but more often than not, these late lift-offs aren’t resulting in Houston victories.

The friendly confines of Toyota Center haven’t been so comfortable for Houston lately. The Rockets have now lost their last ten games in a row at home, a franchise record. Houston will look to bounce back, and get revenge against a more difficult opponent, as the Warriors come to town on Monday night. Steph Curry won the previous meeting with a buzzer-beating shot for Golden State. Hopefully the Rockets will have more energy defensively with a big-name opponent coming to town, as opposed to the first two games in this home-stand. Houston needs it if they want any chance of finally putting a home win together for the first time in nearly two months.   

Rockets Seek to Bounce Back, Square Off Against Blazers

Back to Square One.    The McCollum Problem.    Reaching Distance.

 

After having another two days off, the Rockets are back in action on Friday night. This time, the squad hosts the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland is without their best player, likely for the rest of the season, in Damian Lillard. Echoes of rebuilding have been around the Blazers’ franchise all season. Portland’s played basically .500 basketball over their last ten games. Tonight’s a very winnable game for Houston, but which Rockets team will we see? Hopefully, a couple of off-days wasn’t too much time away from the game, as we saw what transpired in Houston’s previous contest after having three days off. After going 3-2, and nearly 4-1, on a tough West-Coast road trip, the Rockets returned home to get blown out by one of the West’s worst teams, in the Spurs. Houston certainly has the potential to beat Portland tonight, but they’ll have to play with more effort, and get off to better start than they did against San Antonio.

The Blazers may be without Damian Lillard, their franchise player, but they still have C.J. McCollum, who recently returned from a lengthy injury due to a collapsed lung. McCollum is slowly regaining his All-Star form, and could be due for a big game tonight if Houston’s defense doesn’t contain his abilities. The Rockets are just looking for a better game overall, after a disappointing 30-point loss to a team they beat a few weeks ago on the road. Hopefully Houston makes tonight’s contest a competitive one.

With a record of 20-28, the Blazers hold the tenth and final play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets may be in last place, but they’re still only six games behind Portland, five with a victory tonight. It’s a stretch to think playoffs with this young inconsistent Houston squad, but it’s not impossible. Games like tonight are ones the Rockets have to win if they want to turn that miracle of sneaking into the postseason a reality. For now, they’ll look to improve after seemingly returning to square one in their first home game in ages. The Rockets haven’t won in Houston since December 8th. It’s time the squad gets their first victory of the calendar year at home, tonight facing the Blazers.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trail Blazers (20-28):  White

Houston Rockets (14-34):  Navy “City Edition”

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Demolished by Spurs, 134-104, in Return Home

Eight-Headed Monster.    Too Much Time.    Back of the Pack.

Houston returned home from a successful road-trip, only to be obliterated by the San Antonio Spurs, 134-104, one of the Rockets’ worst losses of the season. San Antonio used a balanced attack to pummel Houston, with eight different Spurs scoring in double-figures. Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poetl primarily led the way for San Antonio. Murray scored 19 points and dished out 10 assists. Poetl scored 18 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Kevin Porter Jr. led the way for the Rockets with 16 points and 9 assists. Christian Wood failed to get a double-double, which is rare these days, and Houston trailed by double-digits after one quarter. The Rockets never overcame, or even threatened San Antonio’s lead after the first period.

This was Houston’s first game in four days, as the Rockets had three days off after they returned from their road-trip. Perhaps it was too much time off? The squad looked rusty, and may have lost some of their chemistry that was providing for an eventful road trip. Houston has three more home games before they go back on the road, so the Rockets will look to generate the same chemistry they found on their road trip in these upcoming games at Toyota Center.

After being in fourteenth place in the West, Houston is now pushed to the back of the pack, last in the Conference. The Rockets are still only roughly six games out of the last play-in spot, which belongs to their next opponent, the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston hosts the Blazers on Friday night, as the Rockets will aim to get back on the winning track.

Rockets Return Home, Host Spurs in Part 2 of I-10 Rivalry

Bringing it Home.    Round 2.    Same Kick.    

After a successful road-trip, where the Rockets exceeded expectations with a 3-2 record, the squad returns home for a four-game home-stand. Up first is the same team Houston started their previous road-trip against: the San Antonio Spurs. Since that matchup on January 12th, which the Rockets won 128-124, the Spurs have dropped four of their last six games, while Houston finished their road trip with a 2-2 mark. The Rockets got robbed of a victory in their last game, and still have momentum going from a positive road-trip they need to carry home as they host the rival Spurs on Tuesday night.

It’s round two tonight in the I-10 rivalry. Houston took the first matchup in a close hard-fought battle. The biggest problem for the Rockets will once again be containing San Antonio’s Dejounte Murray. The Spurs star had a triple-double, and one of the best game of his career the first time these teams squared off. Since they last played, Keldon Johnson has returned from injury for the Spurs, along with Doug McDermott. Johnson, along with Jakob Poelt and Derrick White, will also put pressure on Houston’s defense tonight.

Well, the Rockets kicked-off their previous road-trip with a win over the Spurs. Can they do the same at home. Toyota Center should be rocking, as Houston hasn’t played a home game in over two weeks. The squad needs to put the heartbreaking loss in the Bay Area behind them, and focus on the positive factors. The Rockets were nearly a shot away from going 4-1 instead of 3-2 on their road-trip. Houston has been playing much better, and gained some chemistry while they were away from home. We’ll see if the squad brings that home with them as they return to Toyota Center tonight for round 2 in the I-10 rivalry.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

San Antonio Spurs (17-30):  White

Houston Rockets (14-33):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Lose Heartbreaker to Warriors, 105-103, as Road Trip Ends

Hard Fought Loss.    Two Sinking Ships.    Eventful Trip.

Houston outplayed the Warriors, but the Rockets fell short in Golden State. 105-103, to close out their five-game road trip. Stephen Curry’s shot at the buzzer won the game for the Warriors, who barely escaped Houston’s wrath. Curry continued to struggle, scoring only 22 points on poor shooting. Christian Wood led the Rockets with a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double.

At the moment, the Rockets and Warriors are two of the NBA’s sinking ships. While Houston may improve over the final third of the season, the Rockets are still a long-shot to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Warriors, who looked poised to earn the number one seed over the first third of the season, now could possibly fall out of home-court advantage. The Dubs will still be postseason-bound, but they’re struggling  mightily to integrate Klay Thompson back into the lineup. More dangerously, it’s had a negative impact on Andrew Wiggins’ play, who was playing like an All-Star before Klay’s return. Wiggins will likely still be named an All-Star for the first time, but don’t expect him to regain his form from the first half of the season. Draymond Green is still without a timetable to return. And Steph Curry is having the worst shooting season of his career, and celebrates a win over the worst team in his conference like he won the championship. Golden State’s in trouble, whether you believe it or not.

Despite the Rockets heartbreaking-loss to end their road-trip, it was a successful journey nonetheless. Houston went 3-2 on the trip, and exceeded expectations with an especially impressive win in Utah. The Rockets return home where they’ll get three days off before hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.