Rockets Fail to Launch in 107-96 Loss to Pistons
Holiday Humbling. Brick City. True Test Ahead.
Tipping off their earliest game of the season, Houston’s players were still waking up at the start of this contest, as the Rockets fell to the Detroit Pistons, 107-96, on Monday afternoon. Houston shot a torrid 39% from the field, and got outplayed at home by an inferior Detroit team. Cade Cunningham was the best player on the floor in this matchup, as he led the Pistons with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. And Jalen Duren scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while giving Alperen Segun fits on defense. Segun scored only 11 points and was basically a non factor in this contest as Duren’s physicality pushed him out of his comfort zone. Duren didn’t play in the first matchup between these teams earlier in the season, and his presence certainly made a difference on Monday. Fred VanVleet scored 20 points lead the Rockets, and Jalen Green added 19 points, but Houston was outplayed for the majority of the afternoon. Amen Thompson scored 17 points and had the better game statistically, but his brother Ausar Thompson won bragging rights, as his Pistons were victorious.
This was the first game of the second half of the season, and its a humbling beginning to the second part of the campaign for these Rockets. Detroit is one of the most improved teams in the league, but Houston still should’ve beaten this Pistons team at home. If the Rockets are as good as they’re making people believe they are, then the squad needs to win these type of games, specifically matches against inferior teams at home. Monday’s game did mark the earliest start time all season for this young Houston squad, but that’s still no excuse to lay an egg like the Rockets did during this MLK Day matinee affair.
Monday’s loss docks Houston’s record to 28-14, but that’s still good enough for second place in the brutal Western Conference. The Rockets will now face a true test and can prove if their worthy of the second spot out West. Up next, Houston will have two straight games against the team with the NBA’s best record, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who sport an impressive 36-6 mark on the season. First, the Rockets will host the Cavs for Part One on Wednesday night at Toyota Center. It’s a home-and-home for Houston, but the Cavs will play in Philly on Friday before hosting the rematch this Saturday in Cleveland. If the Rockets can win at least one of these games against the Cavs, it’ll make up for their disappointing holiday humbling on Monday courtesy of the Pistons.