What We Learned Houston Rockets Edition: Game 43

I want to die. This game was pure entertainment until it wasn’t. What We Learned Houston Rockets Edition: Game 43.

Fred VanVleet turnovers, Aaron Holiday playing 30 minutes, Jeff Green playing 38, Cam and Amen only getting 28 minutes combined.

Fuuuuuuuuck me. This game stunk. (only because the Rockets lost, it was so entertaining outside of that) Almost 25 lead changes and you could have picked a fan out of the crowd to run the game better than Ime Udoka could.

Spin-gun is what the arena likes to call him and I don’t hate it. The man was on fire tonight but seemed to get ruined on defense when it mattered most against DeAndre Ayton or any possible switch. If the squad won tonight, you would be seeing entirely new agendas for Jalen Green and company within seconds on #RocketsTwitter.

He played well for most of the game and got an insane block during overtime, but that seemed to be the peak for us. Can we not perform under pressure? Are overtime games too much for the Rockets to handle? Is game management a tough thing for Ime Udoka to work through?

These are the dog days of the season, but 2-7 in our last nine games? This might be an issue that needs fixing.

Cam Whitmore got some open looks and worked hard, along with Amen Thompson who was playing WAY too hard during the first half. Love the effort, but let’s calm it on the silly fouls. That can always be the difference maker.

Despite the near 50% shooting night from Fred VanVleet, this was an absolute stinker. Multiple late turnovers mixed with the lack of three point success was truly the difference maker tonight as 2-10 from three when you should be shooting 4-10 at LEAST is not going to cut it.

There was true bright spots from the youth movement tonight, (yes even Jalen Green) but this game, more than anything else just proved to me that Jabari Smith Jr. is the X-factor to what this team truly needs at this moment. Pouring one out for my man I could not see in person tonight. Your automatic midranges and fun demeanor is what we needed. Come back soon, beloved.

The squad choked it all away in overtime with bad shots and just general awful vibes.

Will we even make the play-in? Is this just another development year with double-ish the wins?

Fuck.

This stinks.

Jerami Grant broke my heart. Come to Houston, at least. Please? Your team is disgusting over in Portland.

Rockets lose 137-131 in an absolute thriller at the Toyota Center.

Stop showing up to games 3 minutes before halftime, nearly an hour and a half late. Next time, I will not be moving seats and causing a scene just to spite people like you. I will buy my $5-8 tickets and I will be getting the most out of them. (moving to the lower level every single time, I sweet talk the ushers and lie) I don’t care that you and your family had trouble walking here in the rain. I didn’t have an umbrella either and walked a mile and over 20 minutes to see this heartbreak.

See y’all soon. What We Learned Houston Rockets Edition: Game 43.