Rockets Roll Past Wizards, 135-112, to Start Road Trip
Dominant Thirds. Making a Case. Powering Through.
After a slow start to the first half, Houston entered halftime on a 7-0 run, building momentum into the break. And at the start of the second half, the Rockets blasted the game open in the third quarter, en route to a 135-112 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. Jalen Green tied his career-high for points in a quarter, as he scored 22 of his team-high 29 points in the third frame. Alperen Sengun scored 14 of his 26 points in the third period, as Houston turned a close game into a blowout in the nation’s capital to start their three game road trip. Fred VanVleet scored 19 points and dished out 12 assists. And Amen Thompson flourished once again in a starting role. Twin secured his second straight double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
As Jabari Smith Jr. is expected to miss at least a month, Thompson is making a very strong case to replace him in the starting lineup. Twin plays well when he comes off the bench, but as a starter Thompson is beginning to exhibit his full potential for the Rockets, especially over the last two games. Tari Eason remains out with his cautious leg injury management injury. And he’s expected to miss Houston’s next matchup as well, which would mark his eleventh straight game on the sidelines.
Speaking of the Rockets next game, the proceedings get much more difficult, as Houston will travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Thursday night. Memphis is currently just a half game back of Houston in the standings for second place in the Western Conference, with the winner of Thursday night’s matchup earning sole possession of the second spot in the West. The Rockets won the first matchup against the Grizz this campaign, but that was only the second game of the season, way back on October 25th in Houston. Memphis is a different animal, and will be much tougher to beat in their house.
Thankfully, the Rockets were able to take care of business in D.C. after a shaky first quarter that saw Houston dig themselves a ten-point hole. The Rockets were able to power through against a bad Wizards team, and eventually turned a competitive contest into a blowout in the second half. Houston needs to be prepared to start their next game more efficiently, as Memphis is a much better opponent compared to the squad the Rockets beat in the nation’s capitol.