HOUSTON — One day after watching the NFL’s Texans return to .500 after years of rebuilding, fans around the city enjoyed seeing the Rockets reach the same mark in Monday’s rout of Sacramento. The last time the Rockets (3-3), who have won three straight, were at .500 was after two games at the start of the 2021-22 NBA season.
With a young team led by three savvy veterans who have a significant on-court presence and in the locker room, the last three games have helped Houston build confidence after an 0-3 start.
“A lot,” Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said when asked how the wins are helping build camaraderie. “We always knew what we were capable of, and it was just a matter of time before we put it all together and wanting to win. It is about ‘will’ and our will. These last three games have been through the roof, and we have to keep that consistency.”
As aggressive as the Rockets were on offense, led by third-year players Jalen Green (game-high 23 points) and Alperen Sengun (17 points and a career-high 12 assists), their communication on defense was vital in helping extend their winning streak to three games.
“Two games in a row, I am very impressed,” said Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka about his team’s defensive effort in the two victories over the Sacramento Kings. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/7BKWaliNGS
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 7, 2023
Players have bought into the system of first-year head coach Ime Udoka, and all the hard work they put in during practice is finally starting to pay off. The Kings looked flustered on the offensive end of the court without All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox. They struggled to handle the consistent pressure applied by Houston.
Udoka was very impressed by his team’s defensive effort on Monday. The Rockets held the Kings to 60 points through three quarters and to below 25 points in each quarter. Dating to Saturday’s win over the Kings, Houston accomplished that feat for six straight periods, all while holding Sacramento below 100 total points in both games.
“I loved how we finished in the first half,” Udoka said. “We talked about them (Sacramento) coming out with an aggressive mindset for the third quarter, and I loved how we did, holding them to 18 points in that quarter. Two games in a row, I am very impressed.”
