On January 8th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued with the Houston Rockets visiting the Washington Wizards. In the first quarter, the Wizards took advantage of their home court and established a 10-point lead. In the second quarter, the Rockets staged a remarkable comeback, scoring 37 points with both inside and outside shots, successfully overtaking the score. After halftime, the Rockets grew even stronger, with Green and Shen Jing leading the charge. The Rockets won the third quarter by 16 points, extending the lead to over 20 points. In the final quarter, the Wizards struggled to mount a comeback, allowing the Rockets to easily secure the victory. Ultimately, the Rockets defeated the Wizards 135-112.
The Rockets are ranked second in the West, while the Wizards are at the bottom of the East, making them teams of different calibers! Faced with the formidable Rockets, the Wizards were eager to fight but ultimately powerless, falling behind after an initial strong start! Throughout the game, the Rockets dominated the paint with a 62-44 scoring advantage over the Wizards and controlled fast breaks with a 30-21 scoring edge. Additionally, the Rockets forced 18 turnovers with 15 steals, converting them into 35 points; in contrast, the Rockets only committed 10 turnovers, with the Wizards scoring just 13 points off turnovers. Unable to match the Rockets' intensity, the Wizards resorted to heavy reliance on three-point shooting, attempting 40 threes and making 15 with a 37.5% success rate. However, the Rockets managed to bounce back from a slow start, hitting 15 threes at a 39.5% clip, effectively suppressing the Wizards' perimeter offense.
From trailing by 12 points in the first quarter to leading by as many as 26, the Rockets emerged victorious with a collective effort! The most outstanding performers were the Rockets' trio: Jalen Green, Shen Jing, and Amen, who erupted for a combined 75 points, 33 rebounds, 13 assists, and 7 steals, completely dominating both ends of the court. In the first quarter, Jalen Green and Shen Jing struggled, going 1-for-9 from the field, while Amen provided crucial support with his scoring and free throws. During the pivotal third quarter when the Rockets turned the tide, the trio combined for 17 points. In the decisive third quarter where the Rockets sealed the win, Shen Jing and Jalen Green played like gods descending from heaven, accounting for 36 of the team's 40 points, akin to a royal flush! Concurrently, Amen set two incredible records. According to statistics, Amen scored 20 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, made 3 steals, and had 0 turnovers. He became the youngest player in Rockets history to achieve at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers in a game, joining the ranks of Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming as the third player to accomplish this feat. United, they are invincible, and the future looks bright for the Rockets' trio!
While the future of the Rockets may belong to the trio, Van Vleet remains the on-court brain of this team! Over the course of the game, Van Vleet played 38 minutes, shooting 7-for-15 (2-for-9 from three-point range) and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, contributing a comprehensive stat line of 19 points, 1 rebound, 12 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, with a +17 plus-minus rating. Van Vleet's scoring explosiveness and consistency may not be top-tier, but his ability to read defenses and control the game is effortless. He plays the role of mentor to the trio on the court, willingly taking a supporting role that is indispensable! Moreover, Van Vleet also set an incredible record, paying tribute to Harden! According to statistics, Van Vleet is the first player in Rockets history in the last 8 years to score at least 19 points, 12 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block in a single game, the last being Harden in 2017!
The Rockets' overwhelming victory over the Wizards brought joy to all, except for White Mage, who left the court dejected and became an outsider! In this game, White Mage came off the bench for 17 minutes, shooting 6-for-8 (3-for-3 from three-point range) and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, scoring 17 points, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. However, most of White Mage's performance came during the garbage time in the fourth quarter. Rather than being an efficient super-sub, it seems that White Mage has never been entrusted with significant responsibilities within the Rockets' system. Even when the team's bench firepower was severely lacking, he was merely a mercenary during garbage time. More intriguingly, White Mage had no interaction with his Rocket teammates, focusing solely on playing when on the court and showing little enthusiasm for high-fives or celebrations. After the game ended, he headed straight to the locker room without looking back! ESPN experts unanimously believe that if the Rockets make a big trade, White Mage is the most likely young player to be sent away! What are your thoughts on this, basketball fans? Leave me a comment to discuss it further.