The Rockets’ efforts were rewarded
The Rockets also had some absentees in Detroit, with Stephen Silas leaving the bench to attend his father’s memorial service in Charlotte. And not least: Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun. Or the team’s top three scorers this season.
Not the best way to approach this matchup, even against the underdog Pistons. That impression was confirmed less than four minutes into the game when Dwane Casey’s men led 16-4… But the players “played the game” bench John Lucas will say.
“We had to make a decision. Give up or keep fighting. We could go either way. The players involved wanted to fight,” he said. Tari Eason assures the Houston Chronicle. “The idea was to play a lot”Kenyon Martin Jr. continues.
The Rockets really flexed their muscles and won the rebounding battle (48 to 36), converting 16 offensive steals and 21 second-chance points. “Get the rebounds, that was the key to winning the game”Jae’Sean Tate points out.
Those rebounds and his extra possessions made up for the Texans’ ineptitude for much of the game. After 39 minutes, they were just 3-of-20 from the arc… Then there were five consecutive award-winning baskets that felt good. But the story of this match, especially the rebound that ends.
“98% of this success comes from work and effort”
Forty seconds left and the Pistons lead by three points. Kenyon Martin Jr. is fouled. Jae’Sean misses a free throw caught by Tate, who is finally saved by scorer “KMJ”. Taking advantage of two baskets and two offensive rebounds in a matter of seconds.
“We knew we were missing players and a lot of points, everyone could see that.” Jae’Sean Tate assures. “But we were great at raising our level. All young people contributed to this victory. It wasn’t pretty, but we did everything we needed to win. »
A win is a win in Houston, the worst team in the league with just twelve small wins since the start of the season. It’s not just for Stephen Silas, it’s for the players who put in the effort to get him out.
“98% of this success comes from work and effort,” Judge John Lucas for AP. “With our top three goal scorers not there, a lot of our players were impatient because the ball was going around and they would have a chance to play. The coach has already written to congratulate us. He wasn’t there to honor his father and hopefully the win made things a little more difficult. »
| Shots | It bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Turn off | Def | Early | p.d | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Jalen Green | 48 | 34.6 | 41.1 | 33.1 | 78.0 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 21.7 |
| Kevin Porter, Jr. | 40 | 34.0 | 43.7 | 34.6 | 76.6 | 1.4 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 19.2 |
| Alperen Sengun | 45 | 28.0 | 57.5 | 31.3 | 74.0 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 8.9 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 15.5 |
| Eric Gordon | 43 | 29.9 | 42.6 | 33.6 | 82.3 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 12.5 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 47 | 29.6 | 38.7 | 30.1 | 77.8 | 1.2 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 11.9 |
| KJ Martin | 50 | 25.3 | 55.6 | 32.8 | 61.1 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 11.2 |
| Tari Eason | 50 | 19.4 | 44.6 | 36.0 | 77.8 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 8.4 |
| Jae’sean Tate | 13 | 20.7 | 45.3 | 31.6 | 80.0 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 3.4 | 7.7 |
| Garrison Mathews | 43 | 13.4 | 35.5 | 34.4 | 91.1 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 4.9 |
| Bruno Fernando | 26 | 11.5 | 53.4 | 0.0 | 64.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 2.2 | 3.8 |
| Daishen Nix | 37 | 14.6 | 35.0 | 34.2 | 69.0 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 3.5 |
| Josh Christopher | 32 | 8.4 | 40.9 | 15.2 | 76.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 3.5 |
| Tyty Washington, Jr. | 17 | 11.8 | 33.8 | 15.2 | 50.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 3.2 |
| Usman Garuba | 46 | 13.9 | 52.3 | 45.8 | 52.8 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| Trevor Hudgins | 1 | 3.8 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| Boban Marjanovic | 16 | 4.2 | 68.0 | 0.0 | 78.6 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2.8 |
