Category: Uncategorized

Rockets Get Burned By Suns, 115-89, for 11th Straight Loss

Winless Homestand.    Searching for Answers.    Same Old Song.

The Rockets fell to the Suns, 115-89, losing their 11th consecutive game. The loss wraps up a winless homestand in Houston. It’s not only the worst start in franchise history, it’s one of the worst starts in NBA history. Houston stayed within reach in the first quarter, but trailed heavily the rest of the contest. The Rockets will try and end the skid in Memphis on Monday night as the team gets right back to work. It’s been the same old story, turnovers and missed free throws, that have been the downfall of the young squad so far this season.

Rockets Try to End the Skid, Host Red-Hot Suns

Reigning and Burning.    Streaking.    First Step.

Tonight, the Houston Rockets try and put an end to their 10-game losing streak. It won’t be easy, as the reigning Western Conference champs, the Phoenix Suns, roll into Houston. The Suns are red-hot, winners of seven in a row, and they look to make it eight as these squads meet for the second time this season. Phoenix won the first battle back on November 4th, 123-111, as a torrid third quarter by the Rockets put the game in the Suns’ favor for good. As these teams seem to be headed in opposite directions, Houston can’t let their record affect their performance. The Rockets will get better over time, and they outplayed Phoenix outside of the third quarter in the first matchup. Houston has a chance tonight, but they need to stay disciplined.

DeAndre Ayton is out with an injury for the Suns, so Christian Wood needs to take advantage of Frank Kaminsky, or whomever Phoenix garners to get the majority of Ayton’s minutes. Chris Paul won’t let the Suns beat themselves, a habit with which the Rockets have become obsessed. Houston keep shooting themselves in the foot, by missing free throws and turning the ball over. Until the Rockets clean these two aspects of their game up, it’s going to be difficult to win games.

Tonight is the first end of a back-to-back for Houston, who travels to Memphis to face the Grizzlies tomorrow night. Tip-off is slated slightly earlier than usual, at 6 P.M. local time, so the Rockets will have an extra hour before flying off on the road. It would be nice to end the skid at home. Hopefully the team finally shows the resilience needed to stay disciplined throughout the entire game… all four quarters… and they might have a chance.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Phoenix Suns (8-3):  White

Houston Rockets (1-11):  Black

 

TV:  6 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Lose 10th Straight, Fall to Blazers 104-92

One for the Road.    Scoot Ball.    Nowhere but Up.

Damian Lillard scored 20 points, and C.J. McCollum added 17 points, as the Blazers dealt the Rockets their 10th straight loss on Friday night. Kevin Porter Jr. aka “Scoot”, score 18 points to lead Houston. KPJ’s play is quietly improving from game to game. However on this night, Scoot had little help from his teammates. Jalen Green again struggled shooting the ball, scoring only 9 points. Jae’Sean Tate, by and far the most consistent Houston player all season, chipped in with 14 points and 6 boards. This was the first road win all year for Portland, as the Blazers took advantage of the youth and inexperience haunting this Rockets’ team at the moment. Houston will only gain more experience, and they won’t be throwing three teenagers on the floor forever… these are the growing pains. It’s part of the cycle of professional sports. After being a contending team for 8 straight seasons, the Rockets, including last season, are trying to make the long, slow, climb back to the top.

KPJ stated that Lillard was one of his idols  growing up, and Dame said Scoot’s talent is “through the roof.” KPJ chipped in with 5 rebounds and assists apiece, and most importantly, committed only one turnover, a season-low for Scoot. Too bad the Rockets can’t get everyone firing on all cylinders in the same game. Houston will try to end the losing streak on Sunday, as they close out their three-game homestand against the Phoenix Suns.

After losing their tenth straight game, there’s no where to go but up for these Rockets. Sure, they might lose a few more games on this streak. But these guys are professionals, and sooner or later, the squad will squeak out a win. Houston continues to play hard, but struggles to play all four quarters. The Rockets need to learn how to close games if they want any chance against the defending Western Conference Champions on Sunday.

Rockets Desperate for a Win, Host Struggling Trail Blazers

City Debut.    Rocket Killer.    Desperation Time.

On Friday night, the Rockets will unveil their “City Edition” court and uniforms, as Houston plays host to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Rockets are coming off their most disappointing loss of season, falling to the Pistons at home on Wednesday. If Houston wants to end their 9-game losing streak, they need to focus a the free throw line and take care of the ball. The Rockets have been terrible from the foul line lately, and that’s unfortunate, because Houston is finding ways to get to the line. They just can’t knock them down. Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green have their hands full tonight, as they square off against one of the NBA’s best backcourts, Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Tonight will be a tougher test than Wednesday, as the Blazers are expected to make the playoffs. Portland usually gets off to rough starts, but this season is different. They have a new coach in Chauncey Billups, and Damian Lillard is off to a struggling start. Don’t be surprised if Dame finds his rhythm again tonight.

Lillard has been a Rocket-Killer over his career. From ending Houston’s season roughly five years ago in the playoffs, to countless big games and shots he’s had against the Rockets, Lillard seems to thrive playing against Houston. The squad needs to buckle down defensively to ensure the clock never hits “Dame Time” at Toyota Center. Hopefully, the Rockets can come out with a better second half, and specifically third quarter on Friday. Houston has struggled mightily coming out of the break. Also, Christian Wood needs more touches down the stretch than he’s seen in the past two games. Don’t forget about the big fella!

It’s desperation time. No one likes losing, let alone losing streaks. And with a loss tonight, the skid would hit double-digits: 10 losses in a row. If Houston wants to avoid another defeat, they need to come out firing and build a big lead. Lillard is bound is have a big game tonight, and the Rockets can’t afford to fall behind early against a desperate Portland team trying to get their season back on track. Other than the Blazers’ star backcourt, Jusuf Nurkic will pose problems for Christian Wood and Daneil Theis in the paint. Hopefully, we see a return of Alperen Sengun, who’s missed the last two games. The Rockets play more smoothly with Sengun on the floor. Regardless, containing Nurkic is key if Houston wants to finally win a game. The jerseys the Rockets will be wearing tonight are a nod to the throwback pinstripe era with a mix of the old signage. Hopefully the team channels better times, and breaks the losing streak with a win over Portland tonight… do it for the city.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trail Blazers (5-7):  Red

Houston Rockets (1-10):  Navy Blue “City Edition”

 

TV:  7 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Crater to Pistons in Disappointing 112-104 Loss

Missed Opportunity.    More Giveaways.    Biggest Lesson.

Jalen Green blew by Cade Cunningham late in the third quarter for a ferocious jam, squaring the game at 73 points apiece. Houston wouldn’t regain the lead, as the Pistons dealt the Rockets their worst loss of the season, 112-104. Houston knows they should’ve won this matchup. After a brutal road trip, a home meeting with Detroit was a gift. One the Rockets didn’t open properly. Jalen Green showed signs of brilliance, leading the squad with 23 points. Cunningham scored 20 for the Pistons, who had the best player on the floor, in Jerami Grant. One of the finalist’s for last year’s most improved player award put on a dominant performance. Grant scored 21 of his 35 points in the third quarter, which once again doomed the Rockets. Houston fell behind by as many as 14 points, 100-86. They stormed back to make it 104-103, but too many missed free throws prevented Houston from making the game more contested near the end. Jae’Sean Tate continues to be the most consistent player on the Rockets. Tate played his heart out as usual, finishing with 14 points, 8 boards, and too many hustle plays to count.

Christian Wood scored 20 points and grabbed 9 boards, but didn’t get touches down the stretch. Wood needs to be more assertive and demand the ball. The big fella makes an impact when given the chance. When the squad takes a few trips down the floor without letting Wood touch it, he loses rhythm and gets out of sync. The same can be said for Jalen Green. Kevin Porter Jr. and Green are still working out who gets to shoot it when, and other kinks as they share the backcourt. Houston had a season-low 13 turnovers, but 5 of those were committed by KPJ, who’s still struggling to take care of the ball. Turnovers and missed free throws have been the Rockets’ achilles heal all season. Tonight the squad missed a few key freebies down the stretch that would have given them a chance to win. And too many early second-chance opportunities on the boards for Detroit prevented Houston from building a big lead in the first half.

Well, it doesn’t get any easier than the Pistons at home. And Houston still blew the game. They’ve got two more home games in this three-game stretch to try and stop what’s becoming a long losing streak. The Rockets have now lost 9 consecutive games, and despite how close they were in some of those contests, this young team has to learn how to finish games. Houston was more than capable of beating this bad Pistons team, but their youth and inexperience squandered the chance. It’s the first game all season the Rockets lost as the favorites. If the group follows Jae’Sean Tate’s lead in the hustle department, the squad will get a win soon. Up next, Houston will try and upset the Portland Trail Blazers, who are off to shaky start, on Friday night at Toyota Center.

Rockets Host Pistons in Year’s Most Anticipated Matchup

Spotlight.    Remember Us?    Favorites.    

On Wednesday night, the spotlight is on Houston in the basketball world. For the first and only time this season, the Rockets play on national television tonight, as ESPN is airing this affair. Why? The top two picks from this year’s draft square-off for the first time. Jalen Green and the Rockets host the number one overall pick Cade Cunningham, and the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Cunningham missed Detroit’s first four games due to injury, and has only played in four of the Pistons’ nine games overall. His shooting has been historically bad to start a career, but Cunningham has shown improvement in his last two games, combining to score 35 points. Jalen Green’s also been struggling to shoot the ball efficiently. Tonight’s contest is the most anticipated matchup for both of these young squads all season long in terms of media coverage. We’ll see who revels in the bright lights with the spotlight shining on Toyota Center tonight.

This game is being billed as the first matchup between #1 and #2 picks. And that advertisement isn’t wrong, but tonight’s contest is so much more than a meeting between top prospects. The Pistons had the chance to select Green, and they’ll always be the only team who thought he wasn’t “good enough.” Time will tell if Cunningham proves to be a better player, but in my opinion, and many others, Jalen Green has a higher ceiling. Detroit is also the same squad who opined that Christian Wood wasn’t good enough. Houston picked him up in free agency, and the rest is history. Sure, Wood’s struggled in recent games, but Christian is a double-double machine who was on par for last year’s Most-Improved Award before suffering a season-ending injury. And interestingly enough, Wood missed both games against Detroit last year, and hasn’t faced his former team since they ditched him. All the eyes might be on the rookies tonight, but don’t be surprised if Christian Wood steals the show with a monster performance. Wood apparently wasn’t “good enough” for the Pistons either. Tonight, Wood finally has the chance to show them up and close, they made a very poor decision.

Besides being a battle of top draft picks, tonight’s also a battle of one-win teams. A matchup of the league’s two worst teams record-wise, besides the New Orleans Pelicans, who are off to an embarrassing 1-10 start for that franchise. Records only spell so much ten games into an 82-game season. Houston’s schedule has been much tougher than Detroit’s so far. The Rockets have had two days to rest, and are playing at home for the first time in nearly two weeks. The Pistons have some talented youngsters: Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, among others, but the Rockets have the more talented team overall. And Houston needs to take advantage with the spotlight on H-Town tonight. After being battle-tested, the Rockets should handle these Pistons easily. But in the NBA anything can happen, especially with two young teams. Expect an exciting game tonight at Toyota Center… one which the Rockets happen to be rare favorites.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Detroit Pistons (1-8):  Blue

Houston Rockets (1-9):  Red

 

TV:  6:30 PM  –  ESPN,  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Close Road Trip with 120-107 Loss to Warriors

Out of Gas.    Game of Runs.    The Deadly Third.

In their first backend of a back-to-back set, the Rockets fared better than expected. Houston didn’t get blown out by 30, but the squad ran out of gas in a 120-107 loss to the Warriors. The defeat in San Francisco caps a five-game road trip for the Rockets, by far their hardest trip of the season schedule-wise. Look at the standings, all those teams, even some Houston has played at home (the Utah Jazz) are near the top of the standings in the West. These first ten games have been cruel to the Rockets to start the young season, but the schedule will ease up a bit as the year moves on. Christian Wood struggled for Houston, scoring on 4 points while being hounded by Golden State’s Draymond Green. Jae’Sean Tate had another stellar game, leading the Rockets with 21 points and 14 boards. Jalen Green continues to struggle shooting the ball. The rookie finished with only 9 points on 4-for-12 shooting, including a dismal 1-for-6 from long range. Kevin Porter Jr. scored an underwhelming 11 points, but did supply 7 assists, as KPJ struggles to learn the reigns of the point guard position. Daniel Theis keeps playing well since returning from injury. Theis scored 14 points and grabbed 5 boards. And Alperen Sengun, in only 16 minutes of action, continues to be a revelation on both ends of the court. Sengun finished with 12 points (on 3-of-4 shooting), 5 rebounds, an assist, and a block. Hopefully Stephen Silas will give Sengun more playing time in the future. The rookie has proven with his early play he’s worthy of more court time.

Steph Curry had 20 points for the Warriors, but this game, unlike many Golden State wins, wasn’t about Curry. Houston’s latest lost came primarily at the hands of two men: Jordan Poole and Otto Porter Jr. In the first quarter, Jordan Poole did his best Klay Thompson impersonation, scoring 15 of his team-leading 25 points in the period. And Otto Porter Jr. broke up a close game near the end of the first half, turning it into a double-digit deficit by knocking down three consecutive shots from deep. Otto finished with 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting from downtown, along with 9 boards for the Warriors.

Despite trailing 69-61 at halftime, the Rockets narrowed the deficit to 3 points near the middle of the third quarter, trailing 83-80. However, the Warriors steamrolled Houston for a 15-0 run late in the period to make it a 98-80 deficit for the Rockets. A lead Houston would never come close to overcoming. After a five-game road-trip, and the backend of a back-to-back, the squad’s fatigue became evident in the fourth quarter. The benches emptied, and guys got some much-need rest.The third quarter continues to be the downfall of this Rockets’ team, among other factors. Houston got outscored 34-22 by the Warriors in the third period on Sunday. And overall, the Rockets have lost the third quarter in every game this season except their lone win over the Thunder, and in a loss to the Jazz that was already out of hand. Houston needs to figure out a way to come out of the break with the resilience to finish all four quarters, or they’re going to continue to shoot themselves in the foot.

Well, the hardest part is over for the Rockets. That’s the good news. The bad news is their still 1-9, and despite going for a high lottery pick again in this year’s draft with no playoffs in sight, it would be nice to see the squad get a few wins on the board. Jalen Green and company get the perfect opportunity as they return home to start a three-game home-stand. The first matchup features the #1 overall pick Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, one of only two teams with as many losses as Houston. Hopefully, the squad will take advantage against an easier opponent on Wednesday after experiencing the NBA’s version of murderer’s row these past couple weeks.

Rockets Battle Warriors in Final Game of Road Trip

Back at It.    Best in the West?    Continue the Blueprint.

Houston’s five-game road trip finally comes to an end tonight with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors. This is the first time this young team is playing the day after a game. Eric Gordon is out with an injury, and Danuel House Jr. remains out for the Rockets as well. The squad left it all on the court in a heartbreaking loss to the Nuggets yesterday, 95-94. We’ll see what energy this young group can muster, and how they bounce back, against one of the best teams in this early NBA season. The squad was noticeably frustrated after yesterday’s loss. Hopefully they can brush it off and return to making strides on the court. The Rockets and Warriors were once upon a time the league’s hottest rivalry, but those days are long gone. Houston now plays David to Golden State’s Goliath.

We’re not even ten games into the season, but it doesn’t take a basketball savant to realize this Warriors team is good. And they’re still waiting on the return of their second-best player, Klay Thompson, who missed all of last season with an ACL-injury. Nonetheless, Golden State hasn’t missed a beat without Klay to start this season. Steph Curry is getting MVP-chatter again, and the Warriors are off to a 7-1 start, tied with the Utah Jazz for best record in the West. And Golden State’s lone loss came in overtime, against the Memphis Grizzlies. Andre Iguodala is resting tonight, with tonight being the first of a back-to-back for the Dubs, as the Warriors play tomorrow against the Atlanta Hawks. Tonight will be a great test for Houston’s young backcourt, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green, who are both coming off rough games. The Rockets need their backcourt of the future to bounce back if they want any chance of pulling off the NBA’s biggest upset of this young season.

This is going to be arguably the toughest game of this road trip, under difficult circumstances, with the Rockets coming off a heartbreaking loss only yesterday. Houston needs to continue the blueprint of playing hard and improving with each game, regardless of the outcome. The squad is getting better, and they’ve grown leaps and bounds over this road-trip. With a few tough losses already under their belt, it’d be nice to see the Rockets finally get a win before returning home. However, don’t count on it. Houston’s sixth man Eric Gordon, who’s been playing extremely well is out tonight with a groin injury. Which means we’ll see more combinations of different players in Stephen Silas’ rotation. Everyone will likely get a chance to see some court action tonight. It’s a big opportunity for a lot of players on this Rockets team to show their value. And at the end of a long road trip, with two days off after tonight, Houston would love to upset the Warriors. All good teams have let-downs, and with the Rockets’ record, that could play in Houston’s favor tonight if Golden State comes out with a lackadaisical mindset.

 

Chase Center:  San Francisco, California

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (1-8):  White

Golden State Warriors (7-1):  Blue “Classic Edition”

 

TV:  7:30 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Drop Tightly Contested Match to Nuggets, 95-94

Third in a Row.    Mile High Heartbreak.    Theis, Theis, Baby.

For the third consecutive game, the Rockets held a halftime lead. And yet again, the dreaded third quarter was then only period in which Houston was outscored, by a mere 2 points. Nonetheless, in the squad’s closest game of the season, the Rockets fell short in Denver, 95-94, to the Nuggets. Houston had a chance to win on the final play, but Jae’Sean Tate’s shot attempt was blocked by Nikola Jokic as the buzzer sounded. Why Coach Stephen Silas didn’t call a timeout isn’t known. I assume he didn’t want Denver to get their defense set. What followed was a wild play by Houston. Eric Gordon drove to the basket, and dished to Jae’Sean Tate in the crowded paint area. Jokic was able to swat the shot as time expired. EG had a great look at a floater in the lane, but instead drove into traffic, where the Rockets had trouble getting the final shot off.

Nonetheless, this was the best game Houston’s played all season. The Rockets took better care of the ball, committing 17 turnovers, less than average for Houston. Granted, the Nuggets shot the ball terribly, until the final three minutes, but the Rockets almost pulled off off the impressive upset. The squad didn’t seem too affected by the altitude, and they held Denver to only 95 points. Unfortunately, Houston couldn’t score in the final minutes. The Rockets led 94-89, before Aaron Gordon hit back-to-back threes to put the Nuggets on top for good. Jokic paced the Nuggets with 28 points and 14 boards, on a night when they really struggled shooting the ball. Houston will turn right around, and play again Sunday night, as they conclude their road-trip in San Francisco against the Warriors. This young group can’t afford to let this heartbreaking loss linger for long. This isn’t Houston’s first close loss, but compared to their 119-117 defeat in L.A., this definitely stings more.

Daniel Theis, a game-time decision leading up to tip, decided to play, and it paid dividends. Theis had his best game as a Rocket, leading Houston in scoring with 18 points. Eric Gordon chipped in with 12 points, and Christian Wood secured another double-double, finishing with 12 points and 17 boards. Jalen Green struggled once again, scoring only 9 points. Kevin Porter Jr. also had difficulties with only 6 points on the board. As a team, this was a game the Rockets let slip out of their fingertips. The bench played relatively well, led by K.J. Martin’s 11 points. Houston will conclude their road trip on Sunday night in the Bay area, as they take on Steph Curry and the Warriors. Golden State is off to a hot start, tied for the best record in the West. It will be Houston’s first back-to-back game, so the Rockets have the odds against them. Regardless, if they play with then toughness and energy they displayed in Denver, they have a chance to upset arguably the best team in the West.

Rockets Fly into Mile High for Tough Test Against Nuggets

Mile High Matinee.    Lofty Comparisons.    After the Break.

Houston makes their first visit to the Mile High City as the Rockets face the Denver Nuggets in a Saturday afternoon tilt. Denver is 4-4 this season, and coming off two straight losses to the Grizzlies in Memphis. Nuggets’ coach Mike Malone will no doubt have his team prepared to snap their losing streak. This afternoon will be a tough a matchup for the Rockets. This young squad has never felt the side effects that come with playing in the altitude. Hopefully, they are young and athletic enough to grab an early lead, and possibly hang on for the win. That’s asking a lot. The Nuggets are favorites to finish near the top of the West this season, and they have the league’s reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic, arguably the best big man in basketball.

Alperen Sengun has already drawn early comparisons to Nikola Jokic. With Daniel Theis out again, Sengun will get the starting nod, and his toughest matchup to date. It should be fun seeing the crafty rookie battle the NBA’s best big man. He’ll be getting assistance from Christian Wood, who’s been a double-double machine during this road trip. So far this season, Jalen Green’s had two good shooting nights, and six poor shooting nights. Hopefully Green can start to find some consistency with his shooting, the weakest part of his game at the moment. Once Jalen’s shots fall with regularity, he’ll be playing like the Rookie of the Year, a title many expect to be Green’s at season’s end. Kevin Porter Jr. needs to run a low-turnover show if Houston wants any chance to shock the Nuggets this afternoon. KPJ took better care of the ball in Phoenix, and he’ll look to duplicate that performance today.

The Rockets have struggled mightily coming out of halftime this season. The third quarter has haunted Houston in each game. Despite getting off to a solid start last game in the third quarter, the Rockets slowed down and were outscored by 12 points. If Houston can maintain their focus and tempo that they’ve built first-half leads with in the last two games, the Rockets have a chance to pull the giant upset. If the turnovers are an early problem, Houston has no chance in Denver’s altitude. It’s the first of a back-to-back for the squad, so we’ll see how deep Stephen Silas decides to use his bench. If it’s a blowout, expect the starters to rest for tomorrow night’s game against Golden State. Nonetheless, Houston’s really looking for improvement coming out of halftime in this game. Hopefully, the altitude doesn’t play an overwhelming factor on the squad’s pace of play. The Rockets are best when they play fast and under control. Houston has to be prepared for a harsher playing environment, as the altitude hits all players differently. It’s the Rockets’ first afternoon tip of the season… maybe an earlier start will give the squad some needed luck in Denver tonight.

 

Ball Arena:  Denver, Colorado

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (1-7):  White

Denver Nuggets (4-4):  Navy “City Edition”

 

TV:  4 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW