HORNETS DEFEAT ROCKETS
Important takeaways from Rockets' 110-105 loss to Hornets
Oct 23, 2024, 10:11 pm
Hornets defeat the Rockets, 110-105. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
LaMelo Ball had 34 points and 11 assists in his return from an ankle injury and Grant Williams made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 40 seconds left to give the Charlotte Hornets a 110-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
Jalen Green scored five quick points to tie it before Williams put the Hornets on top with his step-back 3 to make it 106-103. Ball, who was playing in his first regular-season game since Jan. 26, added two free throws after that to secure the victory.
Green led Houston with 28 points and Alperen Sengun added 25 points and 18 rebounds in his return after missing the last 19 games of last season with a severely sprained ankle.
Takeaways
Hornets: This team has been plagued by injuries in recent years and the problems continued in the opener with young star Brandon Miller sitting out the second half with soreness in his left hip. They’ll need to keep him, Ball and Miles Bridges healthy if they hope to return to the playoffs after an eight-year drought.
Rockets: They need to play more consistently for four quarters after leading by double figures for most of the first three quarters before letting the Hornets get back into it late.
Key moment
The Hornets used a 10-0 run that spanned from late in the third quarter to early in the fourth to close the gap and put themselves in position for the win after trailing for most of the game.
Key stat
Houston shot 36.9% from the field while the Hornets made 44.7% of their shots.
Up next
The Rockets host the Grizzlies on Friday night and the Hornets visit Atlanta.
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It's Week 18 of the NFL season, which means just one more weekend remains before postseason action begins.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes look like a formidable opponent once again and have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC bracket with a 15-1 record.
Over in the NFC, a crucial game awaits when the Minnesota Vikings (14-2) travel to face the Detroit Lions (14-2) on Sunday in a game that will decide the division winner, the No. 1 seed in the conference and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
Here are some more things to watch as the regular season winds down:
NFL playoff picture
AFC
Six of the seven spots in the playoff bracket are secure, though the seeding is still up for grabs in some situations. The Chiefs are the top seed while the Buffalo Bills (13-3) own the No. 2 spot. The Baltimore Ravens (11-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) and Houston Texans (9-7) also know they have more football to play. The Ravens can clinch the No. 3 spot in the bracket with a win over the Browns. The Texans are locked into the No. 4 spot despite a worse record than some teams because they've clinched their division.
As for the seventh team, the Denver Broncos (9-7) are in good position though the Miami Dolphins (8-8) and Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) still have hope. The problem for the Dolphins and Bengals is the Broncos can earn the final spot with a win against Kansas City this weekend, and there's not much incentive for the Chiefs to play their starters considering they've already got the No. 1 seed wrapped up.
NFC
Much like the AFC, six of the seven spots are taken. The Vikings, Lions, Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), Green Bay Packers (11-5), Los Angeles Rams (10-6) and Washington Commanders (11-5) will be in the bracket. Minnesota and Detroit will duke it out for the No. 1 seed next Sunday while the loser falls all the way to No. 5. The Eagles have secured the No. 2 spot.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) have the inside track for the final spot, needing a win over the New Orleans Saints this weekend to secure their place. If they lose, the Atlanta Falcons (8-8) could still sneak into the bracket if they beat the Carolina Panthers.
NFL playoff format
The 14-team bracket enters its fifth season after debuting during the 2020 season. Seven teams advance to the postseason from both the AFC and the NFC.
The four division winners in each conference earn the top four seeds, ranked by their records. The last three teams are all wild-card selections, also ranked by record.
The format means the No. 1 seed in each conference is very important because it guarantees a wild card round bye and homefield advantage until the Super Bowl. For the other 12 teams in the opening round, the No. 7 seed travels to the No. 2 seed, No. 6 goes to No. 3 and No. 5 travels to No. 4.
NFL playoff schedule
Jan. 11-13: Wild Card Round. Two games on Saturday, three on Sunday, one on Monday.
Jan. 18-19: Divisional Round. Two games on Saturday, two on Sunday.
Jan. 26: AFC and NFC Conference Championships.
Feb. 9: Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome in New Orleans.
NFL playoff betting odds
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Chiefs are the favorites to win the Super Bowl at +375. The Lions are right behind them at +400 while the Bills are third at +550.
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