Game 15 What We Learned: Houston Rockets Edition

Six road games. Six losses.

This Rockets team away from home continues to ruin any chance at becoming a legitimate threat in the west. Not that we expect them to this season, but the high points we’ve seen in this young season make me think anything is possible. Game 15 What We Learned: Houston Rockets Edition.

Jalen Green, yet again is back to being inefficient offensively, but this time against Dallas we saw some great defensive effort that could have changed the outcome of the game. I am not out on Jalen, as none of us really should be, but something has got to give.

Like I mentioned in my Rockets season preview, we cannot afford two good Jalen Green games for five subpar ones. Things will move slow, especially at the beginning of an entirely new regime, but this is becoming alarming. It becomes even more terrifying knowing how well the rest of the squad played offensively, while Jalen continued to struggle.

The Rockets need a second star to truly blossom in to what we think they can become. Having a player like Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet ending the game as the second leading scorer behind Sengun really show the skill-gap between Al-P and the rest.

I’m not expecting a huge deadline deal this season, but in order to make the leap, something has to give. It’s clear Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun have this chemistry that is unparalleled to a lot of what I have seen from these past Rockets teams, with those two leading on most assists for a duo in the NBA, but who is going to consistently step up and become the next star we need? It sure doesn’t feel like Jalen Green right now.

I will be fair to him though, a lot of #NBATwitter loves Cade Cunningham while hating on Jalen Green and it truly does not make sense. Cade is much more inefficent in terms of TS% and true shooting percentage while receiving almost double the touches Jalen is within the new Ime Udoka system. I will always have high hopes and continue to support #4, but it’s getting harder and harder to defend these games.

One thing that really ruined my night was seeing the Rockets not able to snag a rebound at the end of the game and Luka picking it up and taking one of the most hilarious sky hooks and draining it. This was the salt in the wound to our squad not making the Play-In Tournament quarterfinals. I can’t even lie, that hurt. I laughed out loud, but in a painful matter.

We learned a couple of things last night.

Scott Foster is a bitch. I’m sure Mavs fans can even agree with this one too. Absolute worst ref in the league not named Tony Brothers.

Alperen Sengun is taking this league by storm. This isn’t a coincidence anymore. He is thriving under Ime Udoka’s new system and it seems coach put his money where his mouth was in regards to saying we will run the game through Sengun at the beginning of the season.

Maybe my expectations became too high after these win streaks, but I know this team has the capability to truly take it to the next level.

Your Rockets will take on the Denver Nuggets (wait, again?) tonight, Wednesday at 8pm.

See y’all then. Game 15 What We Learned: Houston Rockets Edition.