ROCKETS FALL TO BLAZERS
Important takeaways from Rockets' 104-92 loss to Trail Blazers
Nov 13, 2021, 3:18 pm
Another tough loss for Houston. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
The Houston Rockets suffered their 10th loss on the season falling to the Trail Blazers 104-92 on Friday night. Nassir Little and Damian Lillard dominated throughout the game. Missed free throw attempts have destroyed the chances of winning games this season. Friday night, the Rockets shot 63 percent from the free throw line, which puts them dead last in the NBA. As they continue to miss free throws, it makes it harder for them to compete against other competitive teams.
Another thing that damaged the Rockets was turnovers in half court play. Jalen Green had 6 of 13 of turnovers versus the Portland Trail Blazers. Green got out muscled at times or went into the Trail Blazers defensive coverage, which resulted in fastbreak points. He is averaging 3.1 turnovers per contest and opponents are averaging 17.2 points per game on the season from Green's turnovers, as that needs to slow down. It was another up-and-down night for Green, when it came to scoring the basketball. Green is still trying to find that elite stride as a shooter in the NBA. He only shot the ball at 33 percent because of his nine attempts.
It's all about Green finding his rhythm instead of forcing passes and shots. Making the simple play is the best way for Green to impact the game. He missed his rim runner (Christian Wood) on a pick-and-roll opportunity, as a passing lane was open. Green will eventually find his shooting spots on the court and be able to read coverages better. These shooting slumps will not last for Green, as he is shooting 28.9 percent beyond the perimeter and 35.8 percent from the field. Green is a human microwave just waiting to explode because he has shot diversity and amazing first step. Damian Lillard was impressed with Green throughout the season.
"Obliviously, I think he [Green] is very super talented," Lillard said. "Don't listen to what people tell you. You're this pick, you go to be the man, and take over. Just show up, work hard. Stay humble. Be coachable. Listen to your teammates. Your talent is going to allow you to be the starter you're supposed to be. Just make sure that foundation is right when...you come into the league."
Kevin Porter Jr. had a good, elevated night, as he held the Rockets in a close margin throughout the game. The Rockets go as far as Porter takes him, as he can control the pace of his scoring and facilitation. Inside the first quarter, he found a little scoring and put his teammates in position to score. He had a 119 offensive rating in the first quarter, with a 24 net rating. As the game continued in the second quarter, Porter played 7:40 minutes, but sizzled down with in the quarter, as he only shot 33 percent with no assists.
The Rockets' offense struggled in the second quarter, as the team only scored 14 points. Porter makes the Rockets' offense flow because of his skill set with the basketball. Porter had one turnover and shot the ball 50 percent from the field. The three-point shot does need work, as he loves taking step-back and pull-up threes throughout the game. When Porter does a better job at controlling the pace with his passing and scoring, the Rockets will be successful, as they have Green and Wood as their other two weapons.
Coach Chauncey Billups and Lillard believe Porter can be a star within in the NBA as he learns the point guard position.
“First of all, You are a smart man because those are the only two teams I played good for (🤣). That dude is gifted (KPJ). He can dribble, he can pass, he make shots, he is athletic. It takes time" #Rockets pic.twitter.com/hHAACzMfA8
— Zach Allen (@RenzoTheDon) November 13, 2021
"He's kind of been judged and misunderstood, but the talent level is through the roof," Lillard said. "He can do everything, and personally, he's one of my favorite young players in the league."
Up next: The Rockets face the Phoenix Suns on Sunday at 6pm.
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Thursday night's one point loss at Memphis aside, what a run the Houston Rockets have been enjoying. Within a two week stretch the Rockets beat the last two NBA Champions (winning on the road in Denver and Boston), and twice beat the Cleveland Cavaliers who have the best record in the league this season and against all other teams are 39-7. Yes, the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic in their loss to the Rockets but don’t nitpick. Entering February with a 32-15 record exceeds even optimistic preseason hopes. The preseason betting line for the Rockets' season win total was 43, give or take a game. They are on pace to win 55.
In the 2022-23 season the Rockets completed a three-year run as an on-court laughingstock with a 22-60 record. That tied for the second worst record in the NBA, following seasons of 20-62 and 17-55 which each were the worst record in the league. It was an embarrassing stretch for a proud franchise. The Rockets had just three losing seasons total in the 36 seasons prior to their recent three years in the toilet. Following the ‘22-’23 slog, the Rockets’ cross their fingers really hard hope was to win the draft lottery where the unquestioned grand prize was Victor Wembanyama. Alas, the Rockets drew only the fourth pick on lottery night. “Wemby” hasn’t disappointed the San Antonio Spurs at all, and in this his second season he stands a strong chance of winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Prevailing sentiment had point guard “Scoot” Henderson as the second-best prospect in the ‘23 draft. The Charlotte Hornets took forward Brandon Miller at number two because they already had LaMelo Ball at point guard. The Portland Trail Blazers then took Henderson at three. Would the Rockets have taken him at number two or three? We don’t know with certainty. Other than for laughs they have no reason to admit they'd have selected "Scoot," any more than Nick Caserio would have to admit the Texans’ would have drafted Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud if they had picked first not second in the 2023 NFL draft. What we do know is the Rockets picked Amen Thompson fourth. Amen to that.
Thompson individually best mirrors the Rockets’ rapid rise from mediocre last season (41-41) to legitimate contender. Thompson was the fourth pick in his draft class, after the Rockets took Jabari Smith third the year before, with Jalen Green the second overall pick the year before that. It was Smith’s broken hand in early January that spurred head coach Ime Udoka to insert Thompson into the starting lineup. I’m guessing neither Thompson nor Smith know the story of Wally Pipp (or perhaps Lou Gehrig either), but how can Udoka put Smith back in the starting lineup? The race is on for which in hindsight will be general manager Rafael Stone’s greater move, taking Thompson at four or swinging the post-draft trade that netted 2021 number 16 selection Alperen Sengun. Sengun Thursday night was named an All-Star game reserve for the first time. One can envision Thompson joining Sengun on an All-Star squad as soon as next season. Credit to Jalen Green for some improvement this season, but the idea that he has made a huge leap and should have made the All-Star game is silly. Green has stretches where hot shooting combines with his explosiveness to make him look like a star, but that is not his body of work. Green’s shooting percentages remain below average from the floor overall and from behind the three-point line.
The Rockets are second in the Western Conference while getting essentially nothing from the third pick in last June’s draft, guard Reed Sheppard. He’s just 20 years old and there is no reason for a pure shooter to lose that skill before he can legally buy a beer, so bust talk is way premature. But Sheppard looked like a poor man’s Bryce Drew (that’s not a compliment) in his early season opportunities, overmatched physically with the game way too fast for him.
When you draft in the top four for four consecutive years, you’re supposed to assemble some stout talent. In consecutive drafts the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder picked Kevin Durant (at number two), Russell Westbrook (at number four), and James Harden (at number three). Success is no given however even with a raft of high lottery picks. The Minnesota Timberwolves in successive drafts selected third, fifth and sixth the same year, fourth, and second. Their “haul” was O.J. Mayo, Ricky Rubio/Jonny Flynn, Wesley Johnson, and Derrick Williams. Yikes.
The current iteration of the Thunder is obviously the best team in the Western Conference, but until OKC breaks through and wins a conference title, it’s not unreasonable to think OKC can be had in a best-of-seven. That the Rockets make the list of teams who wouldn’t require a miracle to topple the Thunder is a phenomenal development.
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