Category: Uncategorized

Rockets Rematch with Kings, Begin Season’s Second Half

A New Half.    Part 2.    Averting the Repeat.

The Rockets begin the second half of the NBA season right where the first half closed: a matchup with the Kings in Sacramento. In one of those oddities in the scheduling, these two squads will play in the same building for the second straight game. Houston slumps into the latter half of the season riding an 8-game losing streak. The Rockets will be without Kevin Porter Jr. tonight, who suffered a knee injury in the first quarter on Wednesday in Sacramento. Houston will need everyone to step up in Scoot’s absence. KJ Martin, coming off one of his best games of the year, will be the primary beneficiary in extra minutes in place of KPJ. Expect Jae’Sean Tate’s minutes to increase as well. Tate’s taken on the role of backup point guard, and could very well run the offense while KPJ is on the sidelines. The severity of Scoot’s injury isn’t known at the moment. It doesn’t appear to be anything serious, but expect KPJ to miss at least a few games in the coming days.

Houston will try and hold on for four quarters tonight, after playing a stellar three out of four quarters on Wednesday night in Part 1 of this matchup. If the Rockets want to win Part 2, they’re going to need smarter play down then stretch. Houston’s biggest weakness all season has been closing games. The Rockets can’t seem to slam the door shut on a team’s winning chances when the game’s on the line. Houston will look to put four efficient and productive quarters together to start the second half of the season.

The Kings will be trudging out the usual suspects the Rockets saw on Wednesday night. Expect Domantas Sabonis to be in line for another double-double, and De’Aaron Fox to one again eclipse the 20-point mark. However, if Houston can keep Sacramento’s All-Star duo from having breakout performances, the Rockets have a chance to pull the upset. Houston also needs to do a better job on Trey Lyles, Keegan Murray, and Harrison Barnes, who all had above-average games and were instrumental in dealing the Rockets a loss in the previous matchup. The Rockets shouldn’t be playing with any pressure over these final 41 games. They have nothing to lose, the squad is firmly a contender in the Victor Wembanyama Sweepstakes this summer. It’s time for Houston to show influential improvement on the court, starting tonight with a victory to close out their second game in Sacramento.

Golden 1 Center:  Sacramento, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-31):  White

Sacramento Kings (22-18):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  9:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Bow to Kings, 135-115, to Close out Season’s First Half

Halfway Home.    Insult to Injury.    3 for 4.

In Sacramento, Houston led after three quarters but let another game slip away, las they lost to the Kings, 135-115, on Wednesday night. Houston actually started the game on an 8-0 run, and remained competitive throughout three quarters, even managing to secure an edge before the fourth quarter. The Rockets led 95-94 heading into the final period, but ran out of gas once again as the wheels fell off to close the game. Sacramento outscored Houston 41-20 in the fourth quarter, as the Rockets had no answers for Domantas Sabonis or De’Aaron Fox. Sabonis garnered his 18th consecutive double-double, registering 25 points and 14 boards to go along with 9 assists. Sabonis leads the NBA in double-doubles this season, and was a force to reckon with all night for Houston. Fox added 24 points and some crucial late offense as the Kings overpowered the Rockets late in Sac-Town.

Jalen Green led Houston with 26 points, but struggled with his shot, going 9-for-25 from the floor. Alperen Sengun had the first triple-double of his career, registering a triple-10 with 10 points, rebounds, and assists apiece. Eric Gordon chipped in 19 points, and KJ Martin continues to be the Sixth Man for the Rockets, as he scored 21 points, on another efficient shooting night. Martin entered the game with dunks on three consecutive Houston possessions, and scored 9 first quarter points to lead all players. Martin is having a breakout season in his own right, and will have an opportunity to display more of his extreme talent and athleticism at the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest over All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah. Expect KJ to be a sleeper pick to win the Dunk Contest. It’ll give Martin a wider audience than usual, as Rocket games are basically never nationally televised this season. Look at Houston’s collapse on Wednesday nights and their overall record (10-31), for examples why they’re almost never on national TV this year.

Houston has struggled mightily, whether it’s starting or ending the game, to put four quarters together. They need to translate the hard effort they put into three quarters into four quarters, or this Rockets team is going to suffer more collapses in the second half than anticipated. The squad needs to focus on not taking their foot off the gas. Once Houston has the lead, they get too complacent. And if they have a bad start, they’ll often make a valiant comeback effort, but it’s usually too little too late. The Rockets need to realize the value of all four quarters, they can’t settle for three great quarters. Houston needs to play hard the entirety of an NBA basketball game. An element sorely lacking in the Rockets’ mantra at the moment.

To add insult to injury, the Rockets lost Kevin Porter Jr. to an injury late in the first quarter. The severity of the injury isn’t known at this point, but Scoot reportedly suffered a left knee contusion, and could miss several games. Expect Martin to be the primary beneficiary of those extra minutes if KPJ does indeed miss extended time. Hopefully, Scoot can return to the court soon, as KPJ has been Houston’s most consistent player over the first half of this season. Regardless, it will give Martin at least more chances to show the NBA world why he’s one of the best young role players in the league.

The Rockets are now officially halfway through their season. Houston boasts a 10-31 record at the midway point, good for the worst record in the entire league. The squad is aiming for a more consistent second-half of the season, that hopefully will show improvement over what was a miserable first half. The squad begins the second half of the season facing these same Kings one more time in Sacramento on Friday night. It’s hard to beat the same team twice in the NBA… can the Rockets prove that statement’s merit this weekend? Tune in on Friday night, as Houston begins the second half of the season.

Rockets Begin Road-Trip with a Double-Dip Versus the Kings

Sacramento Two-Step.    Tough Tests Await.    Embrace the Suck.

After a lengthy stay at home, the Rockets head on the road for a West-Coast trip, beginning with two matchups against the Kings. Sacramento is playing the best basketball the franchise has seen in at least a decade. The Kings currently hold the fifth spot in the West, and are led by point-guard De’Aaron Fox, and Center Domantas Sabonis, both All-Star-caliber players. Houston has a tough matchup in store for them, not only tonight, but on this entire road trip. They’ll place these same Kings, in the same jersey colors, at the same time and place on Friday night. It’s hard to beat the same team twice in a row, especially a young team with the playoffs in their sights. Afterwards, the Rockets head to L.A. for a tough back-to-back against the Clippers and Lakers. It won’t be easy, but Houston’s best chance for victory is likely one of these first two games in Sacramento.

If the Rockets can’t get a win on this road-trip they’re staring at an 11-game losing streak, which would tie them for the longest skids in the NBA this season with the San Antonio Spurs. If Houston wants any chance against an upstart Kings team, they’ll need to follow Tari Eason’s statements earlier this week. Eason said “embrace the suck… in times like these when things are difficult, just embrace the things you don’t want to do.” And that’s exactly what the Rockets need to start doing. By embracing “the suck”, Houston needs to play defense, they’ve become one of the worst if not the league’s worst defensive team. The Rockets also need to protect and move the ball on offense, as this team has become too isolation-happy on the perimeter, and it kills any momentum Houston gains as a team offensively. On defense, they simply need more effort. Get back on defense in transition, help out on the weak-side, it’s the basics, and fundamentals, which are destroying the Rockets defensively.

If Houston does one thing sort of well, it’s play the underdog card. They at least seem to be more competitive in games against better teams, so we’ll see if that continues tonight in Sac-Town. It’s the first of two in a row against the Kings, as these two squads will meet again in California’s capital on Friday night. Can the Rockets finally end the losing streak? They’ve got nothing to lose. Houston has firmly all but guaranteed themselves a spot in the Victor Wembanyama-sweepstakes, taking place this summer. The Rockets have been in it for a while, we all have, at least true fans of the team. What is it? As Tari Eason said, “the suck.” Houston’s been firmly stuck in “the suck” for the past thirteen games, as they’ve gone 1-12 in that span. It’s time the Rockets finally starts to play with an edge, and make smarter decisions over the span of a game. As weird as it sounds… it’s time to “embrace the suck.”

 

Golden 1 Center:  Sacramento, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-30):  White

Sacramento Kings (21-18):  Black

 

Tip-Off:  9:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall to Wolves, 104-96, for 7th Straight Loss

The Blues.    Reverse Wreckage.    Lacking the Sauce.

A 20-point lead wasn’t even enough for Houston to break the losing streak, as the Rockets lost to the Timberwolves, 104-96, on Sunday night. The defeat is Houston’s seventh in a row, and puts the squad now 20 games below .500 (10-30) on the season. Unlike many Rockets losses this season, this game had a different feel from the start, deceiving as it may have been. Houston came out of the gates ready to play, and earned a 9-point lead after the first quarter. The Rockets held a 58-38 lead in the second period before everything began to unravel. Once they had this 20-point lead, it appeared Houston was be on the verge of breaking the skid, but the Rockets wouldn’t add any more points to their edge. Houston was outscored by Minnesota 66-38 for the remainder of the contest. De’Angelo Russell scored 22 points, and Anthony Edwards added 21 points to lead the the Wolves’ attack. The victory gives Minnesota their fourth in a row, after losing their previous six straight games.

Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 25 points, and Alperen Sengun 18 points for Houston, although the big man didn’t score in the second half. Houston needs to use Sengun as often as possible on the offense. There’s no reason he should go scoreless in a full half. The Rockets need to do a better job of getting him the ball, while Sengun needs to demand the rock the on offense. The big man has a mismatch almost every night, and Houston needs to start taking advantage of their big weapon.

The Rockets led 58-38, before everything went wrong on Sunday night. Sengun only had 6 shots in the second half, and didn’t make a single one. This game was a sort of reverse wreckage for Houston, who is so used to playing from behind. The squad clearly became way too comfortable once they’d secured the 20-point lead. It was all too early in the matchup, as Minnesota had plenty of time to mount a comeback to deal the Rockets another loss. The main reason Houston lost is their lack of using the Sengun, and the “Sauce” he provides with his ridiculously talented post moves and passing on offense.The Rockets will now hit the road for a tough four-game trip out West. They’ll play the Kings twice in Sacramento, followed by a back-to-back against the Clippers and Lakers in L.A. to start next week. It won’t be easy to break the losing streak now that Houston is playing four straight tough road games. But the Rockets have a weird tendency to play better in games they shouldn’t win, as opposed to the embarrassment witnessed on Sunday night at Toyota Center. Hopefully that weird trend will show its face on the road, as the tough only gets tougher for the Rockets over the next four games. 

Rockets Host Wolves in Final Game Before Road-Trip

Howling Back.    Off Pace.    Last Chance Center.    

Houston plays their final game at home on Sunday before heading out on a four-game road-trip. The Minnesota Timberwolves come to town, as the Rockets try and win their first home game since December 13th. Houston has lost six straight games and 11 of their last 12 overall. This is the lowest point for this Rockets team this season, as they currently have the worst record in the entire NBA. They’ll aim to snap their home skid with an inspired win over the Wolves tonight.

Minnesota has been without their best player, Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been out with an injury for a few weeks. The Wolves still have plenty of weapons on their roster. Lethal swingman Anthony Edwards is questionable for tonight, and Minnesota also has De’Angelo Russell and Rudy Gobert in the lineup. The latter duo combined for 50 points in the Wolves last game, a win over the Clippers on Friday night. Minnesota has now won three consecutive games after suffering through a six-game losing streak. The Rockets will try and push the Wolves back off track with a victory on Sunday.

Houston is currently one game (10-29) behind their pace from last season (11-28). The Rockets weren’t expected to make the playoffs this year, but they were due to make some improvement. Hopefully that comes in the second half of the season, which is two games away. Look for Jae’Sean Tate’s minutes to increase as he dusts the rust off  from not playing for 31 consecutive games. This is another game Houston has a great chance to win, but the Rockets have missed these opportunities more often than not this season. For some reason, they play better as the heavy underdog, as opposed to when they’re given a chance to win. Houston is desperate to break their losing streak at home. And Sunday night is their last chance to get a win at Toyota Center for 10 days… if anything, expect a closer, more completive game than the Rockets have shown in recent contests.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Minnesota Timberwolves (19-21):  Black

Houston Rockets (10-29):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Miss the Beat in 131-114 Loss to Jazz

Too Comfortable.    Locker Room Leader.    Same Old Song.

The return Jae’Sean Tate to the roster wasn’t enough to break Houston’s losing streak on Thursday night, as the Rockets lost to the Utah Jazz, 131-114, at home. This game will be known as the “Lauri Markannen Game” in Rockets basketball history. The Jazz forward exploded for a career-high 49 points, on an efficient 15-for-27 shooting. Markannen also went a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. Houston had no answer for Utah’s best player on Thursday, as Markannen fell just a point shy of the NBA’s 15th 50-point game this season. Jordan Clarkson and Malik Beasley added 19 points apiece for the Jazz, who controlled almost the entirety of the game. The Rockets allowed a season-high 131 points, and their defense was essentially non-existent. Houston allowed Utah to become too comfortable on offense, allowing open three after open three, and failing to provide much help-defense. It was the same old song for these Rockets, as they dug themselves another hole that was too steep to escape. Houston started with an 11-7 lead in the first quarter, briefly regained the lead in the third, but this matchup was dominated by Utah, who led by as many as 22 points.  The Rockets trailed 110-106 with 5:35 remaining in the contest, but the Jazz outscored Houston 21-8 to end the game, putting away any hopes for a Rocket victory. Markannen outscored Houston by himself, 14-8, in the final five plus minutes of the game. Jalen Green led the Rockets with 30 points, and Kevin Porter Jr. provided 23 points, but the Rockets backcourt struggled once again shooting the ball. Green and KPJ took exactly half of the Houston’s 92 shot attempts, connecting on only 16 of them, for a 35%  shooting percentage. It’s simply too high a volume for two players who haven’t been consistent enough shooting the ball this season. A trend that happens way too frequently for this young, developing squad.

The Rockets need to run more of the offense through Alperen Sengun, who had his team-high 10th double-double of the season against the Jazz. Sengun finished with 20 points and 14 boards in 32 minutes of action, proving once again how valuable he is when he receives decent playing time on the court. Sengun is averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds when he plays at least 30 minutes a game this season. Unfortunately, this was only the seventh time Sengen surpassed that mark this season. Stephen Silas needs to start showing more faith in his starting big man. Jabari Smith Jr. played only 20 minutes, as Markannen did most of his early damage on Smith Jr. It wasn’t the rookie’s best defensive showing by any measure. In his return, Jae’Sean Tate scored 11 points in 19 minutes of limited action. Expect Tate’s playing time to increase as the rust wears off from missing more than 30 games in a row. Despite playing less than 20 minutes, it’s already obvious how much Tate helps this roster when he’s on the court. He brings a sorely-needed level of intensity and energy on both ends of the floor. Tate’s ball handling skills also solves Houston’s backup point guard issue. Defensively, he held the red-hot Markannen to 1-4 shooting, despite being much shorter. Tate is the toughest player on the Rockets, and although his return didn’t carry over to the result Houston hoped for, it’s good to see the team’s locker room leader back in action. Stephen Silas even commented in his post-game presser on how much Tate is like a coach on the floor for Houston. Expect the Rockets to be better in the second half of the season, as we have only two games remaining before Houston reaches the halfway mark.

The Rockets are now tied for the NBA’s worst record (10-29) with the Charlotte Hornets. Houston is even one game behind their pace from last season (11-28) at this point. Can the Rockets turn things around soon, or will the squad tighten its grip on the league’s worst record? If Houston is going to have a better second half this season, the Rockets need to improve playing off the ball. The squad is too focused on getting on SportsCenter with an isolation play as opposed to playing team basketball. Their defense has been horrible. Communication on both ends of the court needs to increase, and as a team and individually Houston desperately needs to work harder off the ball. So much more happens than meets the eye when a player doesn’t have the ball in his hands. The team is standing around and not making plays happen when they don’t have the ball individually in their hands. Stephen Silas, as much as he deserves another shot with this young roster, might be coaching for his job if the Rockets don’t show some improvement soon. Besides dropping their sixth straight game, they’ve now lost 11 of their past 12 games overall. It was the same old song on Thursday night, which provided another bad loss in a season full of them for the young squad. The offense needs some sort of system. Too much isolation and no consistency whatsoever is killing Houston’s offense. They rank third-to-last in half-court points-per-possession, a sign of the lack of efficiency in the squad’s offensive sets. Silas needs to change something up with his system, or this may be his last season as the man in charge for the Rockets. Houston still can’t stop whoever catches fire on the opposition, and struggle getting the ball to the man with the hot hand on their own team. The Rockets return to play at home one more time, on Sunday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, before heading on a tough four-game road-trip out west. Hopefully the squad can break the losing streak this weekend, as Sunday will be Houston’s best chance for victory in the next five games.

Rockets in Desperation Mode, Host Jazz, as Jae’Sean Tate Returns

New Song.    Right on Time.    Light the Swerve.

Houston returns home after their most embarrassing defeat of the season, a 119-108 beatdown at the hands of the Pelicans in the Big Easy. Tonight, the Rockets host the Utah Jazz. It’s Houston’s third game in four nights, so expect to see a tired squad out on the Toyota Center court. The Jazz have slipped in the standings after getting off to a hot-start. Houston has another opportunity to grab a victory tonight, in the bigger picture of what’s become a sluggish season. The Rockets are now 36-136 over their last 172 games. That’s over two years of playing at a 17-win pace. Houston needs to play a new song. And the right man is stepping back into the lineup at the perfect time.

After missing 35 games, Jae’Sean Tate returns to the lineup tonight. Tate may not be the flashiest player, but he was the most consistent Rockets player for the entirety of last season. Tate was Houston’s energizer bunny, and the true MVP of the squad last year. His return will likely make Stephen Silas’ job even more difficult, as it will be interesting to see how the minutes are dispersed with Tate back in the lineup. Nonetheless, Jae’Sean Tate is returning at a time when the Rockets need someone to play with some fire. And Tate brings that fire, he’s also a little older than his younger teammates. Hopefully they respect their elder and follow the leader. Expect Tate to swerve right back into his role as the guy who does the dirty work for Houston.

Can Houston finally snap out of their funk? They’ve lost five straight games, although it seems like fifteen consecutive contests. The Jazz have been mediocre since their above-average start to the season. The Rockets won the first matchup between these teams, 114-108, but lost part two, 109-101. Part Three takes place tonight at Toyota Center. When these two foes last met in Houston, the Rockets soared to their first victory of the season. They’ll try and silence the Jazz once again… and garner a rare win in the process.

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Utah Jazz (19-21):  White

Houston Rockets (10-28):  “City Edition” Blue

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Poor Effort, Slow Start, Doom Rockets in 119-108 Loss to Pelicans

Uglier Than it Looks.    Late Beacon of Light.    What Now?

On Victor Wembanyama’s birthday, just when it seemed like the Rockets had nowhere to go but up, Houston fell flat on their face, as the Pelicans handed the Rockets a 119-108 loss on Wednesday night. C.J. McCollum led New Orleans with 28 points, and Jonas Valanciunas had another ALl-Star caliber game against Houston, compiling 16 points and 17 boards. This game was far uglier than the final score eludes. The Rockets trailed by a whopping 23 points, 45-22, after the first quarter. Frustrations are even starting to creep into Stephen Silas’ brain, as the Rockets’ Head Coach was ejected early in the game for only the second time in his career. After finally giving guys like Josh Christopher playing time, Houston crept closer, but it was too little too late. The Rockets could only climb partially out of the hole they found themselves in after another terrible start. This exiting the gates slowly trend is becoming scary for a Houston team desperate for victories. It’s hard to win in the NBA, let alone coming from behind to win. The Rockets have to start off games better.

Despite the late comeback attempt, this game was truly the ugliest of the season for Houston. Before a timeout in the third quarter, Jabari Smith Jr. expressed his frustrations about Alperen Sengun’s defense to John Lucas. It’s no secret Sengun is an offensive weapon for Houston, and a defensive weakness, but his offensive talents outweigh his defensive struggles. To witness something like this take place is merely another sign Stephen Silas doesn’t have command of the locker room.

Up next the Rockets return home, where they haven’t won a game since December 13th. Houston will host the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back. Jae’Sean Tate is rumored to make his return after missing 35 games. Last year’s MVP is needed for these undisciplined Rockets. Houston has almost completely played themselves into the lottery, and if that trend continues, they’ll be in position to move up to the best spot possible in order to land the NBA’s most hyped player since LeBron James… in today’s birthday boy, Victor Wembanyama.

Rockets Visit the Big Easy for Matchup with Pelicans

Surprising Birds.    Missing the Mountain.    Pit-Stop.

After another disappointing loss at home, the Rockets hit the road for the Big Easy for a matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pels are on the biggest surprises in the entire league this season, currently playing a game of music chairs with the second and third seed in the West. Zion Williamson is having an MVP-caliber like year, but the young superstar will be on the sidelines tonight. Zion suffered a hamstring injury Monday night for New Orleans, and will be out for a few weeks. Brandon Ingram, their second-best player is also out tonight for the Pelicans. Something of this magnitude would usually be good news for Houston. But if you’ve been watching these Rockets, you know they’re prone to letdowns, especially against less talented groups. There’s some hope: Houston’s lone win against Dallas came when Luka was out, but this Pelicans team is deeper than the Mavs.

The Rockets will need to take care of the basketball, and prevent playing down to their opposition. Houston has the talent to win on Wednesday night, but New Orleans is a more disciplined basketball team. And they’ve got the best player in shooting guard C.J. McCollum. Can the Rockets finally put it together, and grab their second road win in eight days?

Following tonight’s game, Houston returns home to host the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back. The Rockets have been downright miserable in the latter part of back-to-backs this year. Houston needs to try and snag one of these next two games, as their season is slowly slipping away. As of now, they’ve all but guaranteed themselves a spot in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes.

Smoothie King Center:  New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-27):  White

New Orleans Pelicans (23-14):  Blue

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Collapse Late, Fall to Mavericks, 111-106

Tale of Two Halves.    Home Woes.    Clueless in the Clutch.

Houston put on one of their better first half showings of the season on Monday night. However, it didn’t matter in the end, as the Rockets collapsed late in their latest setback, a 111-106 loss to the Mavericks. Luka Doncic started out slow, but finished with 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, including some key baskets late that fueled Dallas’ comeback. Kevin Porter Jr. led Houston with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 dimes, even as he continues to get roasted by many local fans, Scoot is merely playing to his own consistent beat, one of the few Rocket players who’s truly been consistent this season.

The frustratingly inconsistent Jalen Green scored 20 points. Eric Gordon added 19 in the scoring column, and Alperen Sengun registered 16 points and grabbed 6 boards. After outscoring the Mavs by 11 points in the first half, Houston couldn’t buy a basket in second half. The Rockets mustered only 19 fourth quarter points, as Dallas came back to deal Houston their sixth straight home loss. After winning five straight at home, Houston can’t seem to put four quarters together at Toyota Center.

Despite coming up short, the Rockets at least made this game competitive for the majority of the night. Houston now faces a back-to-back where they’ll travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans before returning home to host the Utah Jazz. Despite their win last Monday in Chicago, Houston is in the midst of a funk they can’t snap out of. Maybe a trip to the Big Easy will inspire this Rockets team to change their tune on the court.