Rockets Mauled by Wolves in Opener, 124-106
Sluggish Start. Unlucky 13. Three Headed Monster.
The Jalen Green era didn’t get off to a thunderous start, as the Rockets were blown out in Minnesota to start the season, 124-106. Houston was sloppy from the opening tip. The Rockets committed a plethora of turnovers as their nervous energy was evident in their first regular season game. Minnesota led by 11 points after the first period, and then broke open the game in the second quarter, digging Houston a deep 27-point hole at halftime. The squad started the second half on an 11-2 run, but Minnesota countered with their own 11-0 run to ensure the Rockets stayed at arms length from taking the lead.
Christian Wood led the Rockets with 16 points and 11 boards. In his first game as Houston’s true point guard, Kevin Porter Jr. had a sloppy game, with with 9 turnovers and only 11 points. Jalen Green showed signs of the superstar-to-be, but it’s going to take time and growing pains before Green fully adjusts to the NBA game. The Rockets top draft pick had 9 points on only 4-for-14 shooting from the floor. Look for Green to improve with each game as the season moves along. Houston played almost everyone in Minnesota, 13 guys, but it didn’t help with any luck in the win column. At least the squad got experience, and a start on building chemistry, something that was obviously lacking with this new Rockets team. Alperen Sengun looked fantastic on defense, and showed glimpses of his potential in a solid debut, garnering 11 points and 6 boards. Eric Gordon had a decent start to his season, and Armoni Brooks showed why his teammates call him the team’s best shooter late in the game. Daniel Theis appears to be a solid veteran down low for Houston who will help Sengun, along with Wood, adjust to the NBA speed and power.
Minnesota’s physicality was an issue for Houston. The Rockets didn’t attempt their first free throw until nearly 16 minutes into the game, and committed too many fouls. The Timberwolves were led by their three-headed monster consisting of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards, and D’Angelo Russell. KAT was dominant inside, scoring 30 points and grabbing 10 boards. Anthony Edwards was on fire from downtown, knocking down 6 of his 12 shots from distance en route to 29 points. D’Angelo Russell chipped in with 22 points at the point, as the Rockets had no answer for the Wolves’ “Big Three” on Wednesday night. Houston returns home for their next game. They’ll look avoid another offensive storm from an opponent as they host the Thunder in their home opener on Friday night.