Viewers of the match between Houston and Charlotte were able to fully appreciate the sound of the string, greatly amplified by the microphones, since the Rockets were on from afar throughout the game. In the first quarter, they were accompanied by the Hornets, also skillful.
Then with a few stops, notably thanks to the activity of Dillon Brooks (5 interceptions), they made the gap. The ball was moving in attack, the defense was holding and Houston took an 18-point lead midway through the second quarter. But a drop in tension and a lack of lucidity from Jalen Green on several possessions revived Charlotte, who was only two points behind at the break.
“That was the message at half-time: we had an 18-point lead and now there are only two left,” explains Ime Udoka to Houston Chronicle. “We had built our lead, for a quarter and a half, on the movement of the ball, on open shots, on playing in the racket. We relaxed and started playing one-on-one. »
The second half is more like the start of the match. The Rockets hit from afar and with enormous success: 13/16 at 3-pts after the break! Above all, with 19 assists on 22 baskets, the collective game was in place.
“We made the right choices for others. We enter, two players arrive and we find the shooter open. Their defense dictated our offense. They put pressure, so we didn’t have to keep the ball too much and bring it out.” analyzes Dillon Brooks. “Making the right choice, at the right time, making quick decisions and sharing the ball is contagious,” continues Fred VanVleet. “We looked for good shots and the passes were good. »
“It was a bit of both extremes. We didn’t manage to put it in before, and in this meeting, we didn’t miss a single one.”
Everything was not perfect on defense, the Hornets having taken 15 offensive rebounds for example, and with 17 lost balls, the Texans wasted possessions.
But when you finish a match with a 21/37 at 3-pts (57% success), life is inevitably easier.
Especially when, as VanVleet recalls, the Rockets have suffered in this area since the start of the season. “It was a bit of both extremes,” judges the former Raptors. “We didn’t manage to put it in before, and in this meeting, we didn’t miss a single one. We will try to build on that. »
Like those from Brooklyn before, the Houston players opened their victory counter against the weak Hornets, with a quality offensive performance.
“We had open shots and we understood what they were doing on defense, which was blocking the racket. You had to play in the racket to fix the defense and find your teammate,” analyzes the coach. “21 penalty shots scored is obviously a good number. More than that, the players shot with confidence. When we make 35 assists, the ball moves and we have open shots, it’s going to fall in. »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Alperen Sengun | 3 | 34.1 | 54.5 | 33.3 | 57.1 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 19.3 |
| Jalen Green | 3 | 35.2 | 40.0 | 25.0 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 17.7 |
| Fred Vanvleet | 3 | 36.8 | 37.0 | 34.8 | 80.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 15.3 |
| Dillon Brooks | 3 | 33.1 | 53.3 | 53.8 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 4.3 | 14.3 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 3 | 32.5 | 37.8 | 22.2 | 33.3 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 7.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 4.3 | 11.3 |
| Amen Thompson | 3 | 17.9 | 42.1 | 20.0 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 7.0 |
| Jeff Green | 3 | 18.5 | 53.3 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 6.7 |
| Jae’sean Tate | 3 | 16.9 | 50.0 | 25.0 | 100.0 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 4.7 |
| Boban Marjanovic | 1 | 7.5 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| Nate Williams, Jr. | 1 | 4.8 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| Jock Landale | 1 | 8.6 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Reggie Bullock | 3 | 9.4 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Jermaine Samuels | 1 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Aaron Holiday | 1 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cam Whitmore | 1 | 9.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
