In their first three games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season, the Houston Rockets’ performance in the first quarter looked like a boxer in the ring with their hands behind their backs, simply watching an opponent threw hard-hitting punches. They averaged a dismal 22.3 points in opening quarters on their way to three straight losses.
Increased familiarity and experience may have played a role. The team continues to integrate veteran point guard Fred VanVleet and forward Dillon Brooks into its lineup. Or, perhaps, all it took was returning home to the friendly confines of Toyota Center to make the necessary adjustments to correct their early game woes.
During their four-game home winning streak that started by defeating Charlotte, the Rockets are averaging 34 points in the first quarter while holding their opponents to 21.7 points. They held Sacramento and the Lakers to 19 points to open the game, which is the identity Houston wants to establish from the start.
“It is just the motto of ‘hit first’ that we have established since coming home,” Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said to Rockets Wire. “We never want to play from behind like we did in Orlando. That still haunts us from the slow start we had.”
“It is gruesome to fight back against these NBA teams, especially with how good they are,” Smith added. “It is tough when you get behind and have to fight back. It is just trying to do our work early and not put ourselves in such a big hole where it is so hard to win. Do your work early and just hit first.”
“I feel like that is what our identity is this year,” guard Jalen Green said about the style of play Houston has displayed in the first quarter of the last four games. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/12LonPsGb6
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 10, 2023
Over the last three games, Houston’s average margin of victory is 25.6 points. In each, the Rockets have held their opponents to under 100 points, which has helped them improve to 4-3. That represents the first time the team has been over .500 since it was 11-10 in the 2020-21 season, almost three years ago.
“I feel like that is what our identity is this year,” guard Jalen Green said about the style of play Houston has displayed in the first quarter. “We are an aggressive team, so the first two quarters, we are trying to come out and throw the first punch and keep it going through the second half. That is our mentality right now.”
