Rockets Survive in San Antonio, Beat Spurs, 106-101, for First Road Win
March in October. Big Impact. Unevenly Even.
The Spurs really wanted to win this game, and pull off what would’ve been an amazing comeback over the Rockets on Monday night. But Jalen Green didn’t care about San Antonio’s intentions, as he scored a season-high 36 points, leading Houston to a 106-101 win over their I-10 rivals. The Rockets led by as many as 21 points in the second quarter, but San Antonio stormed back to get within two points in clutch time near the end of the game. Houston fended off a furious Spurs’ rally, and survived to earn their first road win of the season.
Green was sensational, carrying a Rockets team that didn’t get much production offensively, with only three other players reaching double figures in scoring. He shot 11-for-22 from the floor, but most importantly, given that Green attempts so many three pointers, he was lethal from distance in this victory. Green hit 7 of his 13 shots from deep, including a stretch near the end of the first half where he made three in a row on consecutive possessions. It’s only a four game sample, but watching Jalen Green feels witnessing a superstar in the making. In the past couple seasons, Green had slow starts, and finished strong in March near the end of the season. This year, it’s March in October for Jalen Green, as he’s taken his game to another level to start the season. Never a defensive stalwart, Green’s improvement on defense has been noticeable through the first four games. With stupid trade rumors involving over-the-hill Jimmy Butler, the Rockets need to focus on building the best team possible around their budding superstar guard. Green’s finally found a system with coach Ime Udoka that fits his game, and it seems to be clicking in their second year together.
Alperen Sengun scored 12 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists. The big man’s still struggling to regain his All-Star form from last year. But he has plenty of time, with 78 games left to play in the regular season. Steven Adams played only 14 minutes, but his impact was already felt in his brief playing time. A sequence occurred during the third quarter where he literally picked up Keldon Johnson off the ground like a toddler, after both players were battling for a loose ball. The Aussie veteran center is arguably the toughest player in the entire NBA. This is the guy who was always told as a child to never lose his cool because people could die. Expect Adams to be a key part of Houston’s success this season. Improving over the first game in San Antonio, Jabari Smith Jr. scored 17 points and snagged 8 boards in the Rockets win. Fred VanVleet also added 9 assists and 11 points, which included hitting the biggest shot of the game, a three-pointer that extended Houston’s lead from 2 to 5 points in the final minute. He also checked the Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan for the disrespectful comments he said about Houston a few days prior to their matchup. FVV is the leader this young Rockets team needs, and they’re lucky to have him.
No one’s really noticing or discussing Green’s early play, or the Rockets yet in national sports cycles. Granted, he still has much to prove, as we’re very early on in the season. And with a record of 2-2, Houston has been very unevenly even this season. despite two wins, the Rockets have failed to string four solid quarters together in a single game. It’s a brief sample size, but so far, Houston either almost blows a game they should win easily, or they lose by a narrow margin after digging themselves an early hole. The Rockets losses have come by a mere five and two points. And both games, one could argue, could’ve easily gone Houston’s way. The squad needs to play four quarters of solid ball, and get a win that doesn’t over stress the roster, leading to fatigue and unnecessary minutes. The key for the Rockets’ success is still Jalen Green. So far through four games, Green is tied with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo for the most points scored in the entire NBA. If Green figures it out, and reaches his potential, the question will be, “How does one guard a player of his caliber?” Jalen Green doesn’t care… but the rest of the league should.