Unlike their success against the Lakers, the Rockets did not have a perfect game in this reception of the Pelicans. They were moved in the first quarter by the activity of Zion Williamson for example, and also suffered from afar throughout the game, with a weak 10/35 at 3-pts.
Except for one passage in the second quarter, Ime Udoka’s players were dominated in scoring for the majority of the match. But they held on, especially with their defense and thanks to a very good Alperen Sengun (24 points at 11/15 shooting, 8 rebounds), although hampered by his affected left ankle.
“It shows his involvement. He progresses game after game, season after season. He played through the pain, when he could have used it as an excuse,” underlines the coach for Houston Chronicle. “But he wanted to play and get his minutes. He evolved despite that, he made the effort, threw himself at the balls, scored. It’s important to see this success even if it is diminished. »
A preference for hard-fought victories
The proof that the Rockets were not far from seeing their winning streak interrupted is the evolution of the score. New Orleans still had a seven-point lead with four minutes to go, then five points with two minutes remaining. Before finally losing by three units.
“This kind of match is more rewarding than big victories,” rejoices Fred VanVleet, hero of “money time” with his two award-winning shots in a row in thirty seconds. “We have to work, fight to win. We are in front, behind, there are technical errors, clumsiness, lost balls: there was everything in this match. We continued to fight to win. »
Ime Udoka makes the same analysis, after the easy successes against the Kings (+25) and the Lakers (+34). “It’s more rewarding to win this way. We want to build character and we want to see players be in certain situations. It’s rewarding to find a way to win on nights when the team isn’t playing at its best. »
A team that is now making the effort
Having to tinker under difficult circumstances is also a good thing for Dillon Brooks. “Being in the tough and fighting is great for us. When we are not doing well, finding a way to win like that is positive for our construction. It’s motivating to know that we can have our backs against the wall and still win”delivers the Canadian.
Sengun’s defense on a pass from Zion Williamson or even VanVleet’s offensive rebound which brings his first award-winning shot on the same sequence in “money time” prove it: the Texans have changed compared to last season.
“Last season, the energy was different. We are five wins in a row now and we want to win every match, fight on every ball,” explains the pivot. “There is no secret in the NBA, if you play hard, you give yourself a chance to win”concludes VanVleet.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Jalen Green | 7 | 31.3 | 46.0 | 45.5 | 71.4 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 19.6 |
| Alperen Sengun | 7 | 30.6 | 59.8 | 33.3 | 60.9 | 2.1 | 6.1 | 8.3 | 6.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.9 | 18.3 |
| Fred Vanvleet | 7 | 34.6 | 36.3 | 36.2 | 93.3 | 0.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 8.4 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 15.6 |
| Dillon Brooks | 7 | 32.6 | 56.9 | 53.8 | 93.8 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3.1 | 14.7 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 7 | 30.0 | 50.0 | 39.5 | 50.0 | 1.6 | 5.4 | 7.0 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 13.9 |
| Tari Eason | 1 | 14.2 | 40.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 |
| Jae’sean Tate | 7 | 19.8 | 52.8 | 47.4 | 80.0 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 7.3 |
| Jeff Green | 7 | 12.8 | 61.5 | 40.0 | 64.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 6.4 |
| Amen Thompson | 4 | 16.7 | 40.9 | 18.2 | 62.5 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 6.3 |
| Aaron Holiday | 5 | 15.7 | 52.4 | 42.9 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 5.2 |
| Nate Williams, Jr. | 2 | 6.3 | 57.1 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.5 |
| Boban Marjanovic | 3 | 6.7 | 55.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Nathaniel Hinton | 2 | 3.9 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.0 |
| Jock Landale | 5 | 13.5 | 31.3 | 22.2 | 100.0 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.8 |
| Cam Whitmore | 3 | 7.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Jermaine Samuels | 3 | 6.6 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Reggie Bullock | 5 | 10.4 | 25.0 | 28.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
