Stephen A. Smith issues a strong warning about the surging Houston Rockets

STRONG WORDS

Stephen A. Smith issues a strong warning about the surging Houston Rockets
The Rockets are coming. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Rockets are coming off their ninth-straight win and are now officially challenging the Golden State Warriors. Houston is currently only a half game behind the Warriors and could knock them out of the play-in.

In the video above, Stephen A. Smith makes his case that the Rockets are beneficiaries of someone in the Celtics organization that was out to ruin coach Ime Udoka's career.

Also, he discusses how Jalen Green playing with his hair on fire, and the Rockets are executing at an elite level in the month of March. Smith believes this is all because of Udoka and the culture he's building in Houston.

Stephen A. finishes the video with a warning to the league: “The Rockets are coming. And it's because of Ime Udoka. Remember I said that.”

Be sure to watch the short video above for the full discussion.

Editor's note: Stephen A.'s video was recorded before the Rockets won their ninth-straight game on Monday night.

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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.

There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.

Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.

Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.

He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.

Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.

Key moment

The home run by Peraza.

Key stat

It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.

Up next

LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

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