GOING STREAKING!
Jalen Green drops 28 points as Rockets rout Lakers for 4th straight win
Nov 9, 2023, 11:03 am
Jalen Green put on a show! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
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HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green scored 28 points in three quarters and the Houston Rockets never trailed in a 128-94 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
It’s the fourth straight win for the Rockets after they lost their first three games this season. They’ve won four in a row for the first time since winning seven consecutive games in late 2021.
“We’re taking the right steps,” first year coach Ime Udoka said. “We’re confident in what we’re doing and it’s gelling quicker than probably some thought already.”
The Rockets scored the game’s first eight points and led by 21 at halftime. They didn’t let up after the break and were up by 20 midway through the third period before using an 11-5 run to make it 90-64 with 3½ minutes left in the quarter.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate made 3-pointers in that stretch to power the Rockets.
Green, who made 5 of 6 3-pointers, got hot soon after that, scoring all of Houston’s points during a 10-5 run that left the Rockets up 99-71 entering the fourth. Most of the starters for both teams, including Green and the Lakers’ LeBron James, didn’t play in the fourth with the game out of hand.
Green is excited to see Houston’s improvement in his third season after the Rockets were among the league’s worst teams in his first two years.
“It’s a blessing,” he said. “I’m just happy about it. I’ve been in a losing category for so long. So it’s good just to see the results and the progression that the team is doing.”
Rui Hachimura scored 24 off the bench in his return after missing four games with a concussion as the Lakers lost their third straight. D’Angelo Russell added 22 points and James had a season-low 18 in a game in which Los Angeles was without Anthony Davis, who sat out with a groin injury.
The Rockets had a great offensive night, shooting 54.8% (51 of 93) overall and making 42.4% (14 of 33) of their 3-pointers. They also dominated on the boards with Davis out, outrebounding the Lakers 57-34.
“They’re going to be a handful to deal with this year,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “If they keep up at this rate, they’ll be a handful not just for us, but the other 28 teams besides us.”
Tari Eason had nine points and nine rebounds in his season debut for Houston after missing the first six games with a leg injury.
STROUD’S SHOT
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who set a NFL rookie record by throwing for 470 yards this weekend, attempted a free throw for charity before tipoff Wednesday. The high school basketball star was confident that he’d swish it, but instead it bounced off the rim. The second-overall pick knows his teammates will get on him for the miss, but he isn’t worried about it.
“I don’t care. They’re haters anyway,” he said with a laugh. “But they love me on the field, so that’s all that matters.”
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Lakers: Visit Phoenix on Friday night.
Rockets: Host New Orleans on Friday night.
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Despite a last-minute comeback attempt by Gonzaga on Saturday, the Cougars defeated the Bulldogs and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the sixth straight NCAA Tournament.
Houston will face the No.4 seed Purdue, who made it to the championship game last year.
The Boilermakers will be one of the toughest opponents the Cougars have faced thus far and will essentially have the home-court advantage with the game taking place in Indianapolis.
Despite the daunting matchup on paper, Houston is currently an -8.5 favorite to win this game. The Cougars should be able to handle Purdue so long as their offense stays hot and they continue to play defense at an elite level.
Keep the offense flowing
Houston guard LJ Cryer matched a career-high with 30 points against Gonzaga and has been the offensive focal point of this team.
This season, the Baylor transfer has averaged 15.6 points per game and has stepped up to be one of the unquestioned leaders of this team.
In addition to Cryer, the Cougars have Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, who can carry the offensive load as they did during the Big 12 Tournament and against SIUE on Thursday.
J’Wan Roberts is another key factor for Houston’s success. The senior forward seems to have recovered from his ankle injury and has been a productive player since returning to the lineup.
Roberts leads the team in rebounds and is one of the most efficient scorers for the Cougars, averaging more than 50% from the field over his last five seasons.
Houston’s dynamic offense and elite defense makes this team one of the toughest to beat during the tournament.
Containing Purdue’s stars
The Boilermakers have two proficient scorers on their team, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith, who each average over 15 points per game.
Kaufman-Renn scored 22 points in his previous game against McNeese State and has been one of Purdue’s best players for most of this year.
Roberts and Joseph Tuggler will likely be assigned to the junior forward to slow down his offense, forcing his teammates to step up.
Smith is Purdue’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16 points per game, and has the most assists and steals for the Boilermakers this season.
Both Uzan and Cyrer, who have been elite parameter defenders, will cover the Purdue guard and limit his production.
Containing both Kaufman-Renn and Smith will be Houston’s top priority and the key to come away victorious.
Play Cougar basketball
Head coach Kelvin Sampson has now made it to at least the Sweet 16 six consecutive times and has his team well-positioned to make another deep tournament run.
Since arriving in Houston, the 69-year-old coach has turned this program from an afterthought to one of the best basketball teams in the country year after year.
Sampson’s key to his success is instilling a defensive-first mentality into his team and getting the best effort out of his players.
This season is no different, as Houston has the number-one ranked defense in the nation and is holding their opponents to 58.4 points per game on average.
If the Cougars can create consistent offense and continue playing defense at an elite level, they should win this game with ease and advance to the Elite 8 for the first time in three years.
The Houston-Purdue game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium on Friday at 9 pm. The winner will play either Kentucky or Tennessee in the next round.