Rockets Charm Magic, 97-84, for Third Straight Win
Amazing Adams. Second Half Lockdown. Double Big Dominance.
After holding onto a five-point lead at halftime, Houston allowed only 38 points in the second half, as the Rockets beat the Magic, 97-84, on Monday night. The victory gives Houston their third straight win, which is the squad’s longest winning streak since January, after the Rockets stumbled through a tough month of February. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 20 points, one of five Houston players in double-figure scoring. In another double-double performance, Alperen Sengun contributed 14 points, 14 rebounds, along with 4 assists. Dillon Brooks stayed hot offensively, scoring 17 points, and Jalen Green added 15 points in the win.
After a rough start to the game, the Rockets ended the first quarter on a 13-0 run to take a four point lead after the first quarter. Houston used another dominant defensive third period, allowing the Magic to score only 16 points, to take control of the matchup. Paolo Banchero scored 25 points to lead the Magic, but Orlando never stood a chance against the Rockets. The Magic’s 84 points are the least amount of points Houston’s defense has allowed this entire season.
However, the story of this game was Steven Adams. The big man had his best game as member of the Rockets, as Adams scored 11 points and grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds. Sengun and Adams have been sharing court time in what has been dubbed the Double Big Lineup, and the unit has dominated. Sengun and Adams combined to grab a whopping 31 boards on Monday night. Expect to see more of this Double Big lineup, especially considering Amen Thompson is still expected to be sideline for potentially a couple of weeks.
The Rockets are now 33-7 this season when holding a lead entering the fourth quarter. Houston’s had several amazing comebacks this season, but when the Rockets can build a lead entering the final frame, they usually hang on to win the game. Houston will now continue their longest homestand of the season with a matchup with Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The Rockets are 1-0 against the Suns this season, winning the lone matchup so far back in Houston, 119-112, on February 12th. Phoenix is desperately trying to claw back into the Play-In race. The Suns are currently in eleventh place in the Western Conference, on the outside looking in at being potential Play-In participants. The Rockets will aim for their fourth straight win, as Houston aims to climb higher up to the fourth, third, or even second seed in the West.