ROCKETS WIN!
Jalen Green put on a show in the Rockets' victory over the Trail Blazers
Mar 9, 2024, 1:26 pm
Jalen Green was incredible!! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Jalen Green had 27 points, including two statement dunks in the third quarter, and the Houston Rockets pulled away to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-107 on Friday night.
𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄
all the 🎥 angles pic.twitter.com/2fMNWUdusn
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 9, 2024
Fred VanVleet added 18 points and 10 assists for the Rockets, who had lost four of their previous six games and were coming off a 122-116 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Alperen Sengun finished with 19 points.
Dalano Banton had a career-high 30 points for the Trail Blazers in their third straight loss.
“It's a big energy booster,” Green said about his momentum-shifting dunks. “The team with our sidelines, standing there yelling. I just get chills to the body. ... It just changes the whole atmosphere.”
Portland (17-45) led by 12 points, but Houston pulled in front in the third quarter and stretched its lead to 99-88 on Jock Landale's 3 pointer with 8:45 left. The Rockets (28-35) led by 18 points down the stretch.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka said he didn't like the start, so he challenged the team at halftime.
“I love the way they came out and responded to the challenge, to come out and hold them them to 24 in the third, 20 in the fourth. Really used the defense to ignite our game in general, so the energy was better, and they responded to it well," Udoka said.
The Blazers were without DeAndre Ayton, who missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right wrist. Rookie Scoot Henderson and Malcolm Brogdon were also sidelined by longer-term injuries.
Jerami Grant, who missed Monday's game at Minnesota but returned for Portland's 128-120 loss to Oklahoma City, on Wednesday, was again unavailable because of right hamstring soreness. Jabari Walker sat out with a right hip contusion.
Toumani Camara, who missed Wednesday's game because of illness, played for Portland.
“It’s frustrating,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “The good thing is, we’re trying to develop. So it does give the young guys an opportunity to get some game minutes. But what happens is you lose so many opportunities for chemistry and synergy with the starters and you’re players that you depend on the most. So it’s kind of a double-edged sword.”
The Blazers led by 11 points in the first quarter but Jabari Smith Jr.'s 3-pointer tied it at 42 for Houston in the second. The Rockets moved in front briefly before halftime, but Portland took a 63-55 lead into the break.
Portland had 12 first-half 3-pointers but finished with 16.
Green followed up a steal and dramatic dunk over Simons with a layup to get the Rockets within 70-65. Green dunked again to close the gap to 77-76 and Cam Whitmore's basket gave the Rockets the lead.
Portland kept it close, trailing by just 92-87 going into the final period.
“Those dunks Jalen had, just playing defense, locking up and spreading out. It tuns the momentum in our favor," said Amen Thompson, who finished with 16 points of the bench for Houston.
watch JG get BUCKETS tonight 🍿 pic.twitter.com/4Rgm5actEd
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 9, 2024
It was the second of four meetings between the two teams. The Blazers won the first in January.
UP NEXT
Rockets: At Sacramento on Sunday night.
Trail Blazers: Host Toronto on Saturday night.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.