STRONG WORDS
Stephen A. Smith issues a strong warning about the surging Houston Rockets
Mar 26, 2024, 5:14 pm
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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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.