When nobody on your favorite team scores more than 15 points and they lose 116-86, it’s hard to look at the positives, but let’s see what we can do here. Game 1 of 82 what we learned: Houston Rockets edition.
What immediately struck my eye while watching this game 1 Rockets squad was how I couldn’t shake the, “we’re still young,” mentality I felt like I was seeing from the players. It gave off the idea that they are still in a rebuild with no competitiveness whatsoever.
With a complete lack of chemistry, size, and consistency, the Rockets were out-rebounded 58-30 and showed absolutely zero hustle outside of some FVV forced turnovers and a couple of Dillon Brooks second half spurts of 3’s and D.
Jalen Green shot 2-10 with some very questionable drives and foul bail-outs in the lane and was an absolute no-show as we had to rely on the only part of the youth movement that decided to play.
Give me Alperen Sengun’s theme music.
Al-P had an insanely efficient first half dishing the rock in the ways we know he can but what really struck me as DIFFERENT was the Dirk-esque mid-ranges he was putting up off one leg.
His duffle-bag is getting deep, folks.
New signings got their moment of shine as Jock Landale and Reggie Bullock hit some threes to cut the game closer in the 3rd quarter, but after about the 8:00 mark, it all fell apart.
Rebounds weren’t going the Rockets’ way the entire night, but the fatigue and overall lack of effort began to show as they got outscored 62-43 in the 2nd half. Cole Anthony scored 20 in 21 minutes, having one of the more efficient games of the 12 game slate.
Let’s get back at it Friday night as the Rockets head to San Antonio to face Victor Wembenyama and the Spurs for our first out of four meetings with them this season.
