Rockets Sink Clippers, 125-104, to Begin NBA Cup Play
One Down, Three to Go. Past to Future. Dish Domination.
In their first NBA Cup game of the season, the Rockets dispatched the Los Angeles Clippers quickly in a 125-104 win on Friday night. With the victory, Houston is currently first in their group’s standings, the West Group A. But it’s still early in the group stage, as the Rockets have three more games remaining as they try and advance to the knockout stage. These matchups include a home tilt with the Portland Trail Blazers on November 22nd, followed by a road visit to the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 26th, then closing with a battle on the road with the Sacramento Kings.
After being mired in a horrible slump, Jabari Smith Jr. had his best game of the season so far. Bari led Houston with 28 points, and also grabbed 11 rebounds. Alperen Sengun had his first triple-double of the season, notching 16 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists on the evening. Dillon Brooks continues to be a pleasant bonus surprise on offense. Brooks is known primarily as a defender, but he’s improved on offense this season, most notably due to his hot shooting from beyond the arc. Dillon “The Villain” scored 17 points, including an impressive 5-for-9 shooting from distance in the win over the Clips. Fred VanVleet had one of his better games of the season, registering 18 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds for the night.
And arguably the most impactful duo of the season so far for the Rockets, the “Terror Twins,” were once again brilliant. Amen Thompson scored 12 points, along with 5 boards and 3 assists. And Tari Eason contributed 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block. Both players have been a force on the defensive end, and on the fast break. The “Terror Twins” dominate in transition, igniting the Rockets to play at a faster pace, which is in the squad’s favor. Given the youth and athleticism on the roster, Houston excels when they play at a faster pace on both ends of the court. The Rockets have struggled offensively in half court offense scenarios so far this season, and they need to capitalize on these transition opportunities as often as possible.
Jalen Green had his second-lowest scoring game of the season, but he was at the center of the highlight of this game, a play that emphasized the final score and domination of the Rockets over the Clippers over these past two games. In the first half, Green took a pass from about half-court and threw it down right over the head of James Harden for a beautiful alley-oop. Not necessarily a passing of the torch moment, but the play signifies the difference between the past and the future. Harden will always be considered one of the greatest Rockets to ever play for the squad. But his time in Houston, along with his glory days are in the past. The future for this Rockets team is Jalen Green. Alperen Sengun may Houston’s best player, but the Rockets will ultimately only go as far as Green takes them. He needs to improve his consistency. But as Green showed in the first four contests of this season, he’s one of the best players in the NBA when he’s at the top of his game.
The Rockets won this game easily, in wire-to-wire fashion, as they never trailed. They dominated the assist battle, out-dishing the Clips 31-12 in the blowout victory. Houston needs to continue to play as a team and move the basketball. This team is so deep and versatile, the Rockets are at their best when multiple players are making significant contributions. Up next, Houston heads out for a quick two-game road trip on Sunday night near the Great Lakes, as they prepare for a matchup with the Chicago Bulls, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.