Two nights after overtime heartbreak in Chicago, there seemed to be something of a hangover for the Rockets in Detroit. But thanks to veteran guard Fred VanVleet, Houston (19-18) rallied late in Friday’s 112-110 victory (box score) over the lowly Pistons (3-36).
VanVleet had 20 points (46.7% FG), 12 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. That total included 12 fourth-quarter points and a crucial dime to Alperen Sengun as Houston overcame multiple double-digit deficits. Sengun finished with a game-high 29 points, shooting 12-of-19 (63.2%) from the field and an improved 5-of-7 on free throws (71.4%).
Jalen Green scored 28 points, though he shot just 9-of-25 overall (36.0%) and 2-of-9 on 3-pointers (22.2%). Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting (46.7%), and he also had 2 blocks and several critical defensive plays to secure the win.
Second-year guard Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with 18 points and 8 assists, but he shot just 1-of-6 on 3-pointers (16.7%) — including a last-second heave that spun out. Houston finished the game on a 10-3 run.
The Rockets were again short-handed on Friday night, with Dillon Brooks (right oblique strain) and Tari Eason (left lower leg soreness) still sidelined. Cade Cunningham (left knee strain) and Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf soreness) were out for Detroit.
Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. Houston continues its road trip Saturday in Boston (29-9), where tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. Central.
Jan. 13 Rockets-Pistons reaction
First postgame comments by Alperen Sengun:
"We didn't play hard tonight."
Appreciate the honesty
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 13, 2024
By the way, the player of this game — and it's not even close — is Fred VanVleet. Some stats are empty calories. His weren't. He was the guy when there was immense pressure (and this loss would have been disastrous). By far the best player on the floor.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 13, 2024
This game was a great example of why I have Jabari at #2. He’s going to eventually routinely put up 20/10 in a supporting role with elite defense. https://t.co/jAsXDLsbet
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) January 13, 2024
My new favorite thing right now (after Alperen Sengun) is watching Jabari Smith Jr. play perimeter defense.
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) January 13, 2024
Ime Udoka felt the Rockets "got a little bit lucky" on the final play, with Jaden Ivey taking the three rather than going downhill and Jalen Duren missing the offensive board. "We'll take it but it feels like we stole one."
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 13, 2024
WHEW! Rockets hold on and avoid an embarrassing loss, beating the Pistons 112-110 in Detroit to go back up over .500 (19-18). Sengun (29p), Jalen Green (28), Fred VanVleet (20p-12a) and Jabari (19p-11r) carried the Rockets late. pic.twitter.com/xiZL5QwTCG
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 13, 2024
Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. have no interest in losing this game.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 13, 2024
Ime Udoka said Jeff Green was good to go back in, but when he sat down, the knee swelled up and they shut him down.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 13, 2024
Fred VanVleet has scored the Rockets last 8 points and they lead by 3 with 1:14 to play. He has 12 in the quarter and 20 on the night
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
Crunch time has been a Fred VanVleet master class
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
Rockets survive by the skin of their teeth as Jaden Ivey’s 3 rims out pic.twitter.com/JFgm7WFVHv
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
(Rockets are 4-4 in their last 8 on the road, that's fine)
— Nathan Fogg (@NathanFogg1) January 13, 2024
So no Tari, likely no Jeff, TBD on Dillon vs Celtics.
Everyone else will have dead legs after the effort from tonight's game.
Honestly it's really lame that Ime Udoka's return to Boston is the second night of a back-to-back.
Schedule loss incoming. https://t.co/ZuI9IllFQb
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 13, 2024
Jabari with incredible defense and discipline guarding Ivey there. Wow.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 13, 2024
Jalen carried in the 2nd, Jabari had a stretch in the 3rd and Alpi/Fred carried in the 4th, sucks that nobody else contributed much tonight and made things much harder than they needed to be
— Abel (@AbelGe87) January 13, 2024
This is exactly what the young guys didn’t have the last 3 seasons. Yes coaches can teach but you need vets who can teach on the court pic.twitter.com/XUcqs1cBqx
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) January 13, 2024
Fred came in CLUTCH down the stretch!
🏀 20 PTS
🏀 12 AST@CreditKarma | #MoneyMoveoftheGame pic.twitter.com/paMcPBdgl2— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 13, 2024
Fred VanVleet has been so clutch for the #Rockets this season
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) January 13, 2024
No smiles from the Rockets is funny, but good to see.
They were atrocious tonight. Gonna have to be so much better to not get blown out in Boston tomorrow.
Wow that was close.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) January 13, 2024
Underrated aspect of the #Rockets’ offense this season: Alperen Sengun continues to get better and better as a screener. Really opens up VanVleet and Jalen to create.
— David Weiner #🟦 (@BimaThug) January 13, 2024
Cam Whitmore is 19 years old. Cam Whitmore is 19 years old. Cam Whitmore is 19 years old. Cam Whitmore is 19 years old.
— David Weiner #🟦 (@BimaThug) January 13, 2024
Also, a good point from @danielle_lerner. Tough and draining to come back from double digits in 1st 3 games of a 6-game road trip. Would have been a whole lot tougher to not have gotten a win out of any of them, even if the win was vs. shorthanded Pistons. https://t.co/PTGR8V7ZIu
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 13, 2024
VanVleet, Green and Smith Jr. have played between 39 and 42 minutes in each of the past two games and tip in 21 hours in Boston where the Celtics are 18-0 this season. (Also, where weird things happened in Rockets-Celtics games the past five plus seasons.)
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) January 13, 2024
Anyway, survive and advance. Just like Wednesday, nothing matters but the final result. Had to have it.
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) January 13, 2024
Reggie Bullock has really struggled when switched on smaller, faster players.
He's still serviceable defensively against wings, but Ivey just blew by him like it was nothing man.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) January 13, 2024
Ime Udoka on Reggie Bullock tonight: "I think he was great. It's not always going to show on the stat sheet. He was very solid when we needed it. It felt like we were a little bit out of sorts late in the first quarter and early in the second. We had a bunch of young guys out…
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 13, 2024
Houston bigs tonight:
Sengun — Jabari —
29 PTS 19 PTS
6 REB 11 REB pic.twitter.com/lZC4t75b6X— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 13, 2024
We don't win this game without Jalen going nuts in the first half.. it's like he's finding pieces to the puzzle game by game..
— Apathetic (@ftank58) January 13, 2024
Jaden Ivey will be star in this league if he gets in a better situation
— Apathetic (@ftank58) January 13, 2024
Jabari with another double double.. quiet as hell too.. he can do this nightly in a few years
— Apathetic (@ftank58) January 13, 2024
1. Feed Sengun
2. Rockets not having a playable backup C is a major issue— Adam Abramson (@Adam_Abramson1) January 13, 2024
Amen and Ausar Thompson’s family watching the Rockets play the Pistons.
Their aunt and uncle went half Pistons/half Rockets gear.
Their mom and brother decided to wear all black for neutrality. 😂 pic.twitter.com/T1gP4A2VYC
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) January 13, 2024
VanVleet (2/2): "It's having better intensity and approach and connectedness and fight from the beginning, so we've got our work cut out for us tomorrow." https://t.co/SmT9g6Vbr6
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
Ime Udoka said he's been taking this trip one game at a time and hasn't really thought about tomorrow night's return to Boston: "Overall I'd say I'm not too sentimental of a person, and I don't get caught up in anything like that."
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
#Rockets beat the Pistons 112-110@alperennsengun led the @HoustonRockets with 29 POINTS@SportsVanessa with Alpi after the WIN pic.twitter.com/xJ1uQYLk0Y
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) January 13, 2024
Udoka: "Not not our best effort in a lot of ways. A little soft physically and then they were out hustling us quite honestly, but until Stewart hit the side step three we had them at 16 points in the quarter so we finally decided to defend in the third and the fourth."
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) January 13, 2024
