HOUSTON — In Friday’s primetime matchup from Toyota Center, the Rockets closed out their 2023-24 preseason with a 110-104 victory (box score) over visiting Miami. Houston finished its exhibition slate at 4-1, while the Heat concluded its stint at 2-3.
Houston’s starting backcourt of Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet led the way with 20 points apiece on Friday, while R.J. Hampton led the Heat with an efficient 17 points and 5 assists.
Green, who missed Houston’s previous two games with a toenail issue, shot 6-of-15 from the field (40.0%) and 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%), and he also grabbed 4 rebounds over his 28 minutes. VanVleet was more efficient — scoring his 20 on 7-of-10 shooting (70.0%) and 3-of-4 from 3-point range (75.5%) — and he dished out a game-high 6 assists while committing only one turnover in 29 minutes.
Other Houston players to score in double-figures included:
- Amen Thompson: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals in 25 minutes; 6-of-9 shooting (66.7%), 7-of-9 on free throws (77.8%)
- Alperen Sengun: 16 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists in 27 minutes; 6-of-16 shooting (37.5%), 4-of-6 on free throws (66.7%)
Sengun’s performance was perhaps more impressive when adjusting for the context that he started versus Miami’s Bam Adebayo, long known as one of the league’s top defenders among big men.
Here are highlights and interviews from Friday, along with reaction by NBA media members and fans. Next up for Houston is the opening of its 2023-24 regular season on Wednesday night in Orlando.
Oct. 20 Rockets-Heat reaction
Ime Udoka says the Rockets are pleased with where Amen Thompson is, but he would not say that he's ahead of schedule, necessarily. He thinks a lot of the great things we're seeing from him are mostly instinctual.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) October 21, 2023
Ime Udoka on Alperen Sengun:
"He's one of our quarterbacks on offense."
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 21, 2023
Tari Eason and Amen Thompson are the 2 bench players who should actually matter. Would be great if both could get 25+ MPG.
The rest should be used situationally. https://t.co/wZGoUNmRvs
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) October 21, 2023
Amen Thompson FT shooting by game this preseason:
vs IND: 5/6
vs NOP: 3/4
vs SAS: 1/2
vs SAS: 1/2
vs MIA: 7/9Overall: 17/23 (74%)
Idk about y’all but it has been a very pleasant positive for me to see. The consistency of his form been nice.
It all starts at the line imo. pic.twitter.com/0ol1VWeLhA
— Sang (@SangRockets) October 21, 2023
Rockets win!
Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Amen Thompson all looked excellent, Sengun flashed a lot.
Rockets got a lot of kinks to to sort through, but their ceiling is quite high, as we saw in the 2nd quarter.
Regular season next.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) October 21, 2023
Halftime #Rockets Thoughts:
1. Team defense looks very sharp. Guys look connected & are consistently making strong rotations
2. We are finally seeing Jalen Green off the ball & it looks great. He’s been efficient and it’s looked easy for him
3. Jabari Smith on the elbow is…
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) October 21, 2023
Understanding he's doing it against a G League, but Amen Thompson has taken over the fourth quarter of this game
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) October 21, 2023
Amen Thompson is the real deal
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) October 21, 2023
#Rockets finish preseason 4-1 with the win over the Heat. pic.twitter.com/lm1OyTIHwv
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) October 21, 2023
Coach Udoka, during the fts having a conversation with Jalen Green. Seems to be in constant communication even during dead ball moments during the game
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) October 21, 2023
Overall the Rockets showed they're a very different team that still has some work to do in order to put it all together, but this will be a much improved team that's certainly capable of making a very significant leap
— Abel (@AbelGe87) October 21, 2023
Guards really had a phenomenon game, Jalen/Amen/FVV is a very quality trio to have running the team
— Abel (@AbelGe87) October 21, 2023
The Rockets haven't beat the Miami Heat in any way shape of form, pre season and regular season, starters sitting or playing since November 27, 2019.. a game where James Harden and Russell Westbrook scored 61 points together. This was a big win to me because its a coaching battle
— Apathetic (@ftank58) October 21, 2023
Amen Thompson is very unselfish. As the PG, he always is looking to set up his teammates. But, sometimes when the team is lacking offense, I kinda wish Amen got more aggressive with this drives and look for his own shot. #Rockets
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) October 21, 2023
Alpi has genuinely been great on D this preseason
— Madison Moore (@MadManLeaks) October 21, 2023
This Amen pass to a Cam Whitmore missed dunk had the potential to be one of the best dunks of the year 👀 pic.twitter.com/vLc1QNkjkv
— 𝓝𝔂𝔁 (@NyxRockets) October 21, 2023
What a night for #Rockets rookie Amen Thompson
🏀19 PTS (6-9 FG)
🏀7 REB
🏀4 AST
🏀2 STL@HoustonRockets on Space City Home Network pic.twitter.com/EY0y0dy4uG— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) October 21, 2023
#Rockets beat the Heat 110-104
Jalen Green 20 points in his return @HoustonRockets on Space City Home Network pic.twitter.com/UCENMItVL6
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) October 21, 2023
Jalen Green when asked about #Rockets rookie Amen Thompson: pic.twitter.com/BdtVWlsd7p
— Don Dougan (@don_dougan) October 21, 2023
Ime Udoka says Jabari can play the three through five positions and plans to use him in those spots. He played Jabari at the three tonight for a stretch with Jeff Green (four) and Jock Landale (five).
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) October 21, 2023
