Rockets 104, Blazers 101
Rockets extend winning streak to 4 with big win over Trail Blazers
Jan 29, 2021, 10:15 am
Rockets win again! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
After an ugly 1st quarter of basketball, but the Houston Rockets went on an 8-0 run in the 2nd quarter. The Rockets were down 32-17 at the start of the 2nd period but the play of Christian Wood, Victor Oladipo, and John Wall eclipsed the Portland Trail Blazers' defense. The big three of the Rockets had a grand total of 37 points to close out the 2nd half. Although it was slow start for the Rockets, they finished the half strong.
Damian Lillard was on fire against the Rockets defense in the 1st quarter but throughout the game, the Rockets' 2-3 zone limited those easy shots off pin downs. Houston's defense was allowing Lillard's teammates to take open shots, which Stephen Silas could live with. While Lillard was fighting for an open shot, Gary Trent Jr. shot four straight three-pointers in a row. Trent became the reason the Trail Blazers made it extremely close toward the end of the 3rd quarter. Lillard did finish with 30 points while Trent had 23 points. Trent and Lillard combined for 36 points behind the arc.
Even though the Rockets allowed Trent and Lillard to get their share of points, their defense found ways to get crucial stops. The Rockets' defensive rating was a 101.0 versus the Trail Blazers for the entire game. They caused Lillard to turn the ball over in crucial situations by trapping him along the perimeter. Lillard led his team with four turnovers because of the physical play of Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker. Those two became ferocious above the perimeter, so Lillard didn't have clean looks at the basket. Off 15 turnovers from the Blazers, the Rockets collected 22 points. The Rockets' defensive rating is No. 4 in the NBA, including having the best defensive rating since James Harden departed to the Brooklyn Nets. Hopefully, the Rockets keep up their tough defensive efforts.
"We did a little bit of everything tonight. We were in our drop, we were in blitzes, we switched," as Silas discussed the defensive strategy. "We did a little bit of everything cause they're so hard to guard. Lillard is one of the hardest guys to prepare for in the league..."
The Rockets big three were the difference in the game as John Wall, Christian Wood, and Victor Oladipo finished with 67 points.
Wall was able to use his blistering speed as he constantly beat the Trail Blazers in transition and finished with 20 points. Wood had the slowest start out of the three in the 1st quarter. Silas eventually pulled Wood to relax his nerves as he became dangerous throughout the 2nd quarter. Wood scored 14 points in the 2nd quarter, which sparked various runs for the Rockets so they could take the lead before halftime. He displayed an All-Star performance with ferocious dunks and rebounding. Wood became difficult to contain in the paint and in transition. At the end of Thursday night, Wood finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Although Oladipo only shot 20 percent from the perimeter, he was aggressive in transition and found success attacking the paint. Oladipo found various driving lanes so he was able to collect 25 points off 47.8 percent shooting from the field. With 26.2 seconds left, Oladipo closed the game out on an acrobatic layup.
The Rockets are on a four-game winning streak because of their defense and grit. They seem to be playing with a chip on their shoulder since James Harden left.
Next up: The Rockets head to New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Saturday 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.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
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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