Blog

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

Rockets Come Up Short Against Knicks, 116-103

Opportunity Baskets.    Wise Theis.    Missing Wood.

The Rockets, in the midst of playing eight out of nine games on the road, made a pit stop in Houston on Thursday night to face the New York Knicks. And for a while, it seemed like a return to the friendly confines of home was all the Rockets needed. After trailing 39-30 after the first period, Houston slowly chipped into the deficit to make it a two-point contest entering the final quarter. Unfortunately, the Rockets were gassed, as New York outscored Houston 32-21 in the fourth period, en route to a 116-103 victory over the Rockets. Evan Fournier caught fire late for the Knicks, scoring 23 points. Immanuel Quickley led New York with 24 points and Julius Randle added 21. For Houston, Daniel Theis started in place of Christian Wood, who missed his second straight game. Theis has the rare role of either starting a game, or not playing at all. Theis had one of his better games of the season, posting 22 points and 10 boards. Jae’Sean Tate added 20, and Garrison Matthews scored 17 points.

Houston lacked the energy to secure opportunity baskets on Thursday. Finding transitional buckets off of rebounds was non-existent for the Rockets. This match was  Houston’s fifth game in seven days, and tired legs were evident across the Rockets’ short-handed roster. Houston played hard, but were simply too undermanned to pull out the home victory. KJ Martin and Josh Christopher combined for 29 points, but they were the only bright spots for Houston’s reserves. The rest of the Rockets’ bench only managed to score a collective seven points.

Houston heads back out on the road for the next five games, starting with a matinee matchup in Detroit on Saturday afternoon. It looks like we won’t get Jalen Green vs. Cade Cunningham Part 2, but hopefully Christian Wood will be back. The Pistons are a physical team and the Rockets will need their big bruiser if they want to get back on the winning track as they hit the road again.

Rockets Aim to Regroup, Host Slumping Knicks

Pit Stop.    Stuck in the Mud.    Heart of a Champion.

The Rockets return home for a brief stop to host the Knicks on Thursday night, before heading back out on the road. Houston is right in the thick of a brutal stretch in  their schedule. The squad is in the midst of playing 8 out of 9 games on the road, with tonight being the home matchup for the Rockets. It’s also Houston’s fifth game in the last seven days. In other words, the Rockets are going to be fighting tired legs, as they did last night in Cleveland, where they looked stuck in the mud. Lucky for Houston, they should expect to get Eric Gordon back in the lineup, who was sorely missed in Wednesday’s loss to the Cavs. Christian Wood may also be returning for some added firepower for a tired Rocket team. The good news is, the Knicks are slumping. After a promising start, New York has lost four straight games. The Knicks are also coming off witnessing history, as Stephen Curry broke the NBA’s three-point record in the Garden in New York’s latest defeat. This game won’t have the anticipation of the Knicks most recent loss, but the Rockets should be excited to be home, if only for a moment.

Houston is honoring the greatest coach in franchise history, Rudy Tomjanovich, tonight. “Rudy T” led the Rockets to back-to-back Championships in the mid-90’s, the first against the New York Knicks. An inspiring figure, Rudy T almost lost his life after being leveled by the Lakers’ Kermitt Washington in a game back in 1978. Tomjanovich recovered even stronger, becoming an All-Star in 1979, and then winning two championships as Houston’s coach in 1994 and 1995. Hopefully these current Rocket players, most of whom where never born when Rudy T took Houston to the promise land, can find inspiration by seeing the crowd react to Tomjanovich’s presence.

In these teams previous meeting on November 20th, the Knicks won 106-99, in Madison Square Garden. The Rockets aim to square up the season series tonight. Julius Randle will once again be New York’s biggest threat, especially if the Rockets are once again missing Christian Wood. The Knicks have recently been hit by COVID, as many unvaccinated teams in the sports world have. New York placed four players on the health and safety protocols: R.J. Barrett, Kevin Knox, Obi Toppin, and Quentin Grimes. So it’s a battle of shorthanded teams tonight in Houston. And it’s a rematch of the 1994 NBA Finals any time these two squads get together. The Rockets will look to replicate what occurred back in that series on Thursday night in Toyota Center.

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

New York Knicks (12-16):  White

Houston Rockets (9-19):  Navy “City Edition”

 

Tip:  7 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Sliced and Diced by Cavs in 124-89 Route

Best to Worst.    Early Exit.    Sealed by Sengun.

Coming off their most impressive victory of the season, the Rockets had high hopes entering their matchup in Cleveland. Those hopes were quickly laid to rest, as Houston suffered their worst loss of the season, a 124-89 beatdown at the hands of the Cavaliers. The Rockets never led, and trailed by as many as 45 points in this ugly loss. Granted, Houston was very shorthanded with no Eric Gordon, Christian Wood, Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Danuel House Jr. Regardless, you should never lose by 35 points, but the Rockets were gassed. All these games bunched together are starting to wear the injury-plagued sqaud down. And there’s no rest for the weary, as Houston plays again on Thursday night. 

Stephen Silas even took an early exit to the locker room at the end of the first quarter. No, it wasn’t because he couldn’t stand the sight of what was unraveling on the court. Coach Silas was dehydrated, and   assistant coach John Lucas took over the head coaching reigns for the ailing Silas. According to reports, Silas is feeling better, and plans to be with the team as they take on the Knicks back in Houston on Thursday.

If there was one Rocket who didn’t look exhausted, it was Alperen Sengun. The 19-year-old rookie put on a show in his best individual game of the year. Sengun supplied a career-high 19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in 28 minutes of action, the most he’s ever played in an NBA game. With no Wood, Sengun got more looks and opportunities to display why he deserves to be unleashed. The days of Sengun seeing less than 20 minutes a night should be over. Houston’s prized rookie, the steal of the draft at the 16th pick, is too talented and deserves at least 20-25 minutes a night. It might sound simple, but Sengun makes winning plays, and the Rockets simply play better when he’s on the court.

Houston aims to get back on track as they make a quick pit-stop home to host the Knicks on Thursday, before heading back out on the road. New York has struggled lately, losers of four games in a row. If the Rockets can muster the energy, they should have high hopes they can get back in the winning column when they return home on Thursday night.

Rockets Battle Cavs in Matchup of Hot Teams

Heated Surprises.    Absent Gordon.    Knocking on Wood.

Houston closes their three-game road trip with a visit to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Both teams are two of the hottest teams in the league at the moment. The Rockets and Cavs are both 8-2 in their last ten games. Houston is coming off their most impressive outing, a 19-point comeback win over the Hawks in Atlanta. Cleveland is riding a four-game winning streak, plus their only losses over the past ten games are to the Bucks and Jazz, two Finals contenders. The Cavs have been the biggest surprise of the entire NBA this season. No one expected Cleveland to be competitive this year, yet the Cavs stand in fourth place in the East at this point, with a 17-12 record. Their rookie, Evan Mobley, the third pick in the draft, is currently the front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Mobley was chosen one spot after Houston picked Jalen Green at second. Green is still out tonight for the Rockets, although recent reports indicate he’s making progress, and shouldn’t be out too much longer. Before going down, Green was averaging 14 points a game, and starting to show signs of consistency after an up-and-down start to his NBA career. Mobley, on the other hand, has only missed 4 games for Cleveland, and is averaging 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds a night. Besides Mobley, the Cavs have six other players averaging double-figures in scoring.

Cleveland’s guard Darius Garland is their best overall player, and having a breakout season. Collin Sexton, previously thought to be the face of the Cavs’ future, suffered a season-ending injury earlier this year. His absence opened the door for more touches for Garland, and he’s one of the main reasons the Cavs are surprising teams across the league. Jarret Allen is also having a monster year in the ‘Land. Cleveland’s center will pose plenty of problems for Houston in the paint. Allen is averaging 17.3 points and 11.1 rebound per game, both career-highs. Kevin Love is also having a renaissance of sorts in Cleveland. The former All-Star is coming off the bench for the Cavs, but he’s still producing in limited minutes, especially recently. Love led Cleveland with 23 points in their last game, a win over the Miami Heat. Love, along with Cedi Osman are the Cavs two biggest shooting threats on the perimeter. The Rockets can’t afford to leave either of them open, or Cleveland’s longest tenured-duo will make Houston pay.

After coming off of his best game of the season, Eric Gordon will miss tonight’s contest with a groin injury. The Rockets will need everyone to step up, as has been the case during what’s turning into an injury-plagued Houston roster. Christian Wood is questionable as well for Houston. And the squad is still missing Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Danuel House Jr. If Wood is unable to go, expect Daniel Theis and Alperen Sengun to get heavy minutes.Instead of a Green/Mobley showdown, another Houston rookie might square off against Mobley in the post. With more playing time and each passing game, Sengun is improving and showing he’s likely the steal of the most recent draft, with the Rockets snagging him at the 16th spot. Sengun might have his bets chance yet to out on a show in big minutes tonight in Cleveland. Allen and Mobley pose challenging obstacles, but Sengun impressed the Greek Freak the other night… Al-P isn’t afraid to attack anyone. Hopefully, Christian Wood can go tonight for Houston, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Houston plays it cautious with Wood. Tonight is the first half of a back-to-back for the Rockets, who travel home tomorrow to host the Knicks. But before they return to Houston… these Rockets just might have another road-shocker for the NBA’s most-surprising team.

Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse:  Cleveland, Ohio

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (9-18):  Red

Cleveland Cavaliers (17-12):  White

 

Tip:  6 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Splashlanta:  Rockets Rally to Shock Hawks, 132-126, in Impressive Comeback Win

DJ of the Night.    Reserve Rally.    The Ultimate Pro.

It appeared this game was out of reach for the Rockets. Houston trailed by as many as 19 points at one moment, and the score read 97-80 with under a minute remaining in the third period. But this is a different Rockets team than the squad we saw a month ago. Eric Gordon and D.J. Augustin led a furious rally in the fourth quarter, and Houston came back to stun Atlanta, 132-126, on Monday night. The veteran duo both had their best games of the year. EG finished with a season-high 32 points to lead the Rockets, who survived a 41-point outburst from Atlanta’s Trae Young. The ever-so-daring Augustin had his best game as a Rocket, scoring a season-high 22 points on 6-for-7 shooting from long range, in only 23 minutes. As a team, Houston shot lights out from distance in the fourth quarter, hitting 8 of their 11 three-pointers. The team scored 44 points on 65% shooting in the period, as EG and the bench fueled the most impressive comeback of the season. It’s only the Houston’s second road win, and their first when trailing by double-digits entering the final period.

Along with the veterans, this was truly a team-effort from every Rocket who saw the floor. Nine Houston players got at least 21 minutes of playing time, as everyone contributed for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun played his first crunch-time minutes of his career on Monday night. And it won’t be the last time, as the rookie is slowly carving out a bigger role for himself with spectacular play. Sengun was a part of the group that outscored the Hawks 44-25 in the final quarter. Al-P registered 11 points, 6 boards, and led Houston with 4 assists in 25 minutes of action. The Rockets bench exploded for 62 points, and other than EG, it was all reserves on the court during during Houston’s rally in the fourth quarter. KJ Martin had another strong performance with 13 points, and Josh Christopher continues to see more playing time, getting 24 minutes of action on Monday.

However, the Rockets don’t comeback to shock last year’s Eastern Conference Finalists without David Nwaba. Armoni Brooks suffered an injury during the contest, opening the door for an opportunity for Nwaba. David has played sparingly over recent games. He even saw a stretch during Houston’s winning streak where he didn’t play for six straight games. And on Monday night, Nwaba didn’t hit the court until late in the third quarter. After hitting only one three all season, Nwaba hit two clutch threes late in this contest, and was a major part of Houston’s comeback. He finished with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and had the defensive play of the night, sealing the victory for Houston by stealing the ball from Trae Young in the final minute. Nwaba, along with David Theis, who didn’t play tonight, define what it means to be a true professional. These guys start some games, come off the bench for others, and even go stretches of games where they don’t play at all. Yet when their number’s called, they’re always ready. It’s something the Rockets’ young core can learn from their savvy veterans. Even Augustin is someone who’s minutes typically fluctuate at a high rate. Yet tonight, the veterans showed what it means to be “always ready” in the NBA. There’s a reason the bench (besides EG) finished the game instead of the Rockets starters. The reserves played so hard, and Houston’s bench is full of guys with something to prove. And they sure proved on Monday night they deserve more playing time, making Stephen Silas’ job more challenging, in the best way.

Houston is now 8-2 in their last ten games after starting the season 1-16. They’re actually closer to the play-in spot than having the worst record. This Rockets team plays too hard to lose. Hate it or love it Houston fans, this Rocket team doesn’t know how to tank, and they won’t finish with the worst record in basketball. They had a brutal early schedule, and obvious growing pains with a young group to start the season. And with two thirds of the season remaining, there will still be plenty of bumps down the road. But Houston is starting to show the league that they’re not as bad as their horrific start. With a team composed of guys with giant chips on their shoulders… no game’s out of reach.