Rockets defeat Knicks
Houston Rockets hold on for 109-97 win over Knicks
Nov 5, 2024, 9:04 am
Rockets defeat the Knicks, 109-97. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Alperen Sengun had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held on for a 109-97 win over the New York Knicks on Monday night.
Houston led by 15 points early before the Knicks got within one late in the fourth quarter. But Sengun, who was guarded by Karl-Anthony Towns, scored 10 points in the final period to help the Rockets put it away.
Fred VanVleet added 19 points for Houston and Jalen Green had 15.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points and OG Anunoby added 21. Towns had 17 points and a season-high 19 rebounds.
Takeaways
Knicks: New York needs to do a better job of scoring inside with Towns. The Knicks were outscored 62-38 in the paint as their two-game winning streak was snapped.
Rockets: Houston did a good job of getting several players involved offensively. Four starters finished in double figures and Amen Thompson added 12 points off the bench. But they need to find a way to be more consistent throughout games. They squandered a double-digit lead Monday before pulling away late, a game after falling behind by 31 points early before losing to the Warriors in OT Saturday night.
Key moment
The Rockets led by three before a soaring, two-handed dunk by Thompson followed by a 3 from Green made it 105-97 with less than a minute to go.
Key stat
The Rockets won despite making just 8 of 33 3-pointers. Green started out 0 for 6 and was 2 of 8 and VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. each made just 1 of 5 attempts.
Up next
The Knicks visit the Hawks on Wednesday night and the Rockets host the Spurs that night.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
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Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
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All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
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Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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