Badlanta: Rockets Fall to Hawks, 117-107, in Season Debut
Home-Cookin’ Premiere. Breaking out Bruno. Same Achilles’ Heal.
It was the same old story as last season. Turnovers eventually caused Houston’s demise in Atlanta, as the Rockets dropped their opener, 117-107, to the Hawks. Atlanta’s new All-Star backcourt featuring Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 43 points, and kept Houston at bay. Jabari Smith Jr. had a promising start in his NBA debut. Smith Jr., who’s from the Atlanta area, scored 17 points, and displayed his ability to knock down the long-ball with some impressive threes. He also had a tough defensive assignment in his first game: John Collins, who led the Hawks in scoring with 24 points. Despite only scoring 16 points, Jalen Green looks poised for a breakout season. After one game Green already looks like an improved player compared to his inaugural season. His quickness, strength, and decision-making have already made huge strides compared to his rookie year.
In a surprising move, Coach Stephen Silas decided to start Bruno Fernando at center, instead of the highly-touted Alperen Sengun. Both big men played well, with Fernando dishing out 7 assists and swatting 2 shots. Sengun finished with 15 points and 9 boards in 22 minutes. It will be interesting to see how this experiment unravels. Will Fernando keep the starting spot? Or will Sengun eventually take command. Sengun’s effective regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench. It’s a tough call for Silas, but a good tough decision to have on his hands.
Speaking of hands, the best player for Houston all night was Kevin Porter Jr. The Rockets’ point guard looked poised and under control, leading the team with 21 points. KPJ also contributed 7 boards, 7 assists, and 2 steals. If Scoot can continue to play with a steadiness that keeps Houston from sporadically losing control, the Rockets will be contentious in most games this season.
However, the same weakness that burned Houston last season showed up once again to start this new campaign: the dreaded turnover, aka Houston’s Achilles’ Heal. The Rockets had 15 turnovers, which almost all resulted in transition points for the Hawks. Despite trailing by 14 points at one points, Houston only faced a 4-point deficit heading into the final quarter. But the vital turnovers closed the door on the Rockets’ chances in Atlanta. Houston desperately needs to clean up these sloppy turnovers. The majority of the turnovers weren’t forced by the Hawks, they were just careless plays by the Rockets. Houston wants to play fast, but if they continue to turn the ball over at a high rate, it will be tough to win games. The Hawks scored 18 more points than the Rockets in transition. Up next, the squad travels back to Houston for their home opener, as they host the tough Memphis Grizzlies. Where they’ll aim to change the same old story on Friday night.