Danuel’s House: Rockets Break Skid, Stun Bulls, 118-113
Small Ball Attack. Bench Outburst. KPJ Minus Green.
Exactly one month after their last win, the Houston Rockets finally broke their losing streak, beating the Chicago Bulls, 118-113, on Thanksgiving Eve. Houston had plenty to be thankful for, as Coach Stephen Silas finally made some serious tweaks to the lineup. An adjustment he acknowledged his staff would change from game to game, depending on the opponent. And on Wednesday against the Bulls, it worked to perfection. Houston played a traditionally smaller lineup than usual. Daniel Theis, who’s started many games this season for the Rockets, didn’t see any action against the Bulls. Danuel House, who didn’t play at all in the first half, ended up being the hero. Houston trailed by 9 points at halftime, but House scored 18 second half points, and led a third-quarter rally that saw Houston outscore Chicago 35 to 18 in the period. The Rockets had a season-high eight different players score in double-figures. Houston’s bench scored a whopping 55 points, with 24 coming in the critical third period. For the first time this season, the Rockets won a game when trailing by double-digits, as they trailed by as many as 11 points at one point in the contest.
Kevin Porter Jr. returned from a three-game absence to play a critical role in offense. KPJ Houston with 9 dimes, and continues to improve on his efficiency. In limited minutes, Jalen Green looked great, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. Unfortunately, Green suffered an injury late in the first quarter, and didn’t return to the game. And now he will miss at least a week with a strained left hamstring. Just as the Rockets have an easier than usual schedule coming up, of course their star rookie goes down. The squad will have to play hard like Wednesday’s outrunning of the Bulls if they want to put a few more wins on the board in Jalen’s absence.
So how did the Rockets beat one of better teams in the NBA? Well, guys like Garrison Matthews, Armani Brooks, and of course Alperen Sengun continue to make winning plays. Matthews hit arguably the shot of the season: a three from the corner with 25 seconds left that stretched Houston’s lead from 3 to 6 points. Christian Wood secured another double-double with 16 points and 10 boards, and leading scorer Danuel House didn’t miss from beyond the arc, draining 4 threes. The Rockets spaced the floor with ease minus Thies’ big body. It will be interesting to see how Silas continues to tinker with the lineup as the season moves on. Up next, Houston hosts Lonzo Ball’s younger brother, LaMelo Ball, and the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.