Rockets Quiet Jazz, 114-108, Garner Season’s First Win
Opposites Attract. The KPJ Show. Intermission.
Maybe that’s all the Rockets needed. An undefeated division rival strolling into town. Houston and Utah have had many battles, but this was the first with both squads inn rebuilding mode. Despite coming into the contest winless at 0-3, and facing an undefeated Jazz team, the Rockets knocked off Utah, 114-108, for their first win of the season. Kevin Porter Jr. led the way for Houston with 26 points and 10 dimes. Jalen Green scored 25 points as his stellar sophomore campaign continued on Monday night. Jabari Smith Jr. added 21 points and 9 rebounds in his best game yet as an NBA player. Smith Jr. joined the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon as the only Rockets to score in double figures in their first four games of their career. Houston’s prized rookie knocked down 3 of his 5 shots from deep, and shot 6-for-10 from the floor overall. Efficient numbers for an athlete who’s been more raw, and less polished, than some expected over his first few games.
As great as Green has been all season (he shot the ball extremely efficiently again, going 9-for-16 from the field), it’s even more impressive how KPJ has stepped up his game to accommodate Green’s superstar-level talent, without sacrificing any of Scoot’s own intangibles. It will be intriguing to see how Houston’s backcourt continues to evolve throughout the year. This was only part one of two contests against the Jazz, as the teams will suit up for a rematch on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
After three hard-fought losses over playoff-caliber competition, the Rockets took advantage of a less-talented Utah team to finally snag their first win of the season. Hopefully, Houston will get some firepower back for Wednesday night’s contest. Alperen Sengun, Eric Gordon, Tyty Washington, and Daishen Nix all missed Monday night’s contest. Tari Eason played spry and Usman Garuba made the most of his minutes. The Rockets will try and make it two wins in a row as these two squads head battle again on Wednesday night. Regardless, it’s always good to finally get that first win of the season, especially when Houston’s been playing so hard to start the year. Maybe they’ll be rewarded with some Deja Vu in Utah on Wednesday night.