Victory! Rockets' Five Tigers Score 111+35, Green Scores 22 Points in a Quarter, Thompson Sets Record, League Landscape Changes
On January 8, 2025, Beijing time, the Wizards with a record of 6 wins and 27 losses faced off against the Rockets with a record of 23 wins and 12 losses at home. On paper, the Wizards were not considered strong opponents for the Rockets, who had been consistently performing well against weaker teams this season, often securing big victories. Could the Rockets maintain their winning streak today? The Rockets were without Smith and Ison, starting with VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon, Thompson, and Shen Jing. The Wizards were missing Poole, starting with Carrington, Culibali, George, Kuzma, and Sar.
In the first quarter, Kuzma made 1 of 2 free throws and scored a layup, while Shen Jing and Thompson responded with 4 points. Culibali scored 4 points, giving the Wizards a 7-4 lead. Thompson and VanVleet then took the lead by 2 points. George, Kuzma, and Kispert extended the lead to 5 points. Jalen Green and VanVleet scored, but Valan and Carrington responded, leaving the Wizards ahead by 6 points. VanVleet hit a three-pointer, but Valan scored 6 consecutive points and Kispert added another three-pointer, increasing the lead to 12 points. Thompson made an alley-oop and Whitmore hit a mid-range shot, while Butler made both free throws. At the end of the first quarter, the Wizards led 30-20.
In the second quarter, Kispert made 1 of 2 free throws, maintaining an 11-point lead for the Wizards. Whitmore, Jeff Green, Shen Jing, and Thompson went on a 10-0 run, reducing the deficit to 1 point. Kuzma hit a three-pointer, but Jeff Green scored 4 consecutive points to tie the game. Kispert and Sar extended the lead back to 5 points. Dillon and VanVleet scored, but Kuzma and Kispert responded, keeping the lead at 6 points. Dillon hit a three-pointer, but Kispert responded with one of his own, maintaining the 6-point lead. Dillon hit another three-pointer, followed by Shen Jing and Jalen Green scoring, allowing the Rockets to take a 1-point lead. After a timeout, Culibali scored on a putback dunk to regain the lead by 1 point. Shen Jing scored with a hook shot, while Carrington hit two consecutive three-pointers, giving the Wizards a 5-point lead. Thompson, VanVleet, and Jalen Green then went on a 7-0 run to take a 2-point lead at halftime, with the score at 57-55 in favor of the Rockets.
In the third quarter, Culibali continued to score, but Shen Jing, Jalen Green, and Thompson responded strongly, giving the Rockets an 8-point lead. After a timeout, Champaign and Culibali scored, but Shen Jing and Jalen Green responded, maintaining a 9-point lead. George hit a three-pointer, but Jalen Green, Holiday, and Shen Jing responded strongly, extending the lead to 16 points. Valan and George scored, but Shen Jing scored consecutively and Jalen Green hit a three-pointer, increasing the lead to 21 points. Valan and Champaign scored, but Jalen Green made a layup, ending the third quarter with the Rockets leading 97-79. Jalen Green scored 22 points in this quarter, having already achieved 20+ points in a quarter twice this season, tying for first in the league.
In the fourth quarter, Whitmore and VanVleet continued to score, while Kispert and Valan tried to catch up, leaving the Rockets with a 23-point lead. Butler scored a layup, but VanVleet and Whitmore responded, maintaining a 26-point lead. After a timeout, Butler and Kispert reduced the deficit to 19 points. Thompson then scored consecutively, while Carrington, Valan, and Kispert tried to close the gap to 16 points. After another timeout, Dillon and Thompson increased the lead back to 21 points. Butler scored 5 consecutive points, but Shen Jing responded with 4 points, maintaining a 20-point lead with 3 minutes left in the game. The Rockets then substituted their main players, ultimately securing a 135-112 victory over the Wizards.
Jalen Green scored 29 points with 8 rebounds and 2 assists (10 out of 22 shots, 7 out of 15 from three-point range). Shen Jing scored 26 points with 10 rebounds and 6 assists (12 out of 23 shots). Thompson scored 20 points with 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals (7 out of 8 shots), setting a career record with 20+15 for the second consecutive game. VanVleet scored 19 points with 12 assists and 4 steals, while Whitmore scored 17 points with 1 rebound.
Kispert scored 23 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists (7 out of 10 shots). Valan scored 18 points with 4 rebounds, Butler scored 14 points with 5 assists, Kuzma scored 10 points with 6 rebounds, Culibali scored 12 points with 5 assists, and Carrington scored 12 points with 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
After the victory, the Rockets not only maintained their second place in the Western Conference but also secured their fourth place in the league. Only the Cavaliers, Thunder, and Celtics have better records than the Rockets, making them one of the top-performing teams in the league.