Rockets blow lead, lose 117-111
Three pointers from Rockets loss to Bucks
Oct 24, 2019, 9:44 pm
James Harden.
The Rockets kicked off the 2019-2020 season Thursday night at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Rockets jumped out to a massive 16-point lead and controlled the game throughout the first three quarters. Fueled by a Giannis Antetokounmpo triple-double, the Bucks would lead a furious comeback in the fourth quarter to eventually knock off the Rockets.
Tyson Chandler kicks down the door
Tyson Chandler was one of the later additions to the roster this off-season but took very little time making his presence known. In his first seven minutes on the floor in a Rockets uniform the backup big man crushed multiple alley-oops to the tune of 8 points and 4 rebounds. In the first half it looked as though father time had turned back the clock 11 years and slid him into a hornets uniform. Chandler brought a fiery energy on the court in starting center Clint Capela's absence, as well from the sidelines.
New parts need oiling
The Rockets were in control throughout the first three quarters, but the growing pains were apparent. Bobbled passes from Russell Westbrook to Clint Capela, slightly mis-timed alley oop lobs from James Harden to Chandler, and an overall lack of synchronization contributed to Milwaukee climbing back into the game in the fourth quarter. It will take some time for all of the new faces to get on the same page, so there's no reason for concern yet.
Welcome Westbrook
If Chandler knocked the door down, Westbrook drove through it with a tank. Brodie brought the same patented relentlessness he became famous for in OKC straight to his first start in Rockets Red. Westbrook carved up Milwaukee inside all night long, in addition to flying over everyone on the court for unreal rebounds. Look for Westbrook to push a much faster tempo all season than previous years.
Rockets Player of the Game
Russell Westbrook: 24 points, 7 assists, 16 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block
Bucks Player of the Game
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 30 points, 11 assists, 13 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. 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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