The Houston Rockets' nightmare has returned! Jalen Green scored an impressive 28 points, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory. Ethan also put up a solid performance with 16 points, doing his best to contribute. Meanwhile, Adams proved to be very effective on the court.
Initially, the Rockets selected Amon because of his potential as a point guard. Standing over 2 meters tall and possessing excellent athletic abilities, he was highly coveted. However, due to deficiencies in ball handling, shooting, passing awareness, and technique at the NBA level, Udoka decided to use Amon as a forward, where he delivered a satisfactory performance.
Amon is diligently practicing his skills and shooting, still aspiring to play as a point guard, a position he openly expressed interest in. With VanVleet unavailable due to personal reasons, Amon seized the opportunity. In a match against the Kings, Udoka positioned Jeff Green as the starting power forward, while Amon took on the role of the starting point guard. Udoka also planned for Alperen Sengun to take on some of the organizing responsibilities, seeking a double guarantee.
Prior to his extended absence, Ethan struggled offensively, recording stats such as 0 out of 7, 0 out of 5, and 5 out of 15. Experiencing pain, the Rockets opted to rest him. Despite resting, Ethan continued to feel discomfort, leading to consecutive missed games under daily observation. Concerned fans feared that Ethan might miss the rest of the season. Fortunately, Ethan felt better in recent days and expressed his desire to return to the court, aiming to secure a satisfying early contract extension during the offseason. Udoka, in need of Ethan's services, approved his comeback.
After changing coaches, the Kings have improved their form. Sabonis increased his rebounds and assists, DeRozan has revived, and with the addition of Fox and Monk, they posed a tough challenge. The last time the Rockets faced the Kings away, Jalen Green scored 28 points to no avail, with fans complaining about biased refereeing.
Once again, the Rockets suffered a loss away from home, reviving their nightmare, as fans cried foul over the officiating. Jalen Green scored 28 points with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block, shooting 10 out of 20, including 9 points in the final quarter.
In the first quarter, both teams were evenly matched, with Jalen Green and Jeff Green contributing 10 and 5 points respectively. Whitmore and Amon also scored, leaving the Kings with a narrow one-point lead.
In the second quarter, Adams blocked Carter and made a turnaround hook shot, giving the Rockets the lead. Amon assisted Whitmore in hitting a three-pointer. The Kings quickly brought in Sabonis, and the Rockets responded by bringing in Sengun. Sabonis assisted DeRozan in making a three-pointer, while Amon assisted Sengun in a dunk. Sengun made a hook shot, and Fox hit a three-pointer to tie the score. The Kings' inside and outside game flourished, leading by 7 points and forcing a timeout from the Rockets. Udoka brought in Jalen Green, who had to leave the court after committing consecutive fouls. The Kings grew stronger, with Sabonis scoring on a layup and hitting a three-pointer off a pass from Fox, extending the lead to double digits. The Rockets didn't give up, with Sengun making a three-pointer and stealing from Fox, and Amon scoring on a fast break layup. At halftime, the Kings led by 9 points.
In the third quarter, Jeff Green showed his veteran skills by completing a 2+1 against Sabonis. Amon made a layup, and Dillon made a shot, helping the Rockets close the gap to 4 points and forcing the Kings to call a timeout. Upon resuming play, the Kings launched a counterattack. Fox hit a three-pointer, DeRozan made a jump shot, Murray completed a 2+1 layup, and Sabonis made two free throws after drawing a foul. As Monk hit a three-pointer, the Kings led by 16 points. Ethan, unwilling to give up, scored on a layup and followed it with a dunk. Udoka brought in Adams to strengthen the interior defense, and Green began to exert himself, leading the charge to reduce the deficit. In the final minute of the quarter, Green made a driving layup, and Amon scored on a putback, leaving the Rockets trailing by only 5 points.
In the fourth quarter, Amon started with a dunk, drew a foul and made both free throws, stole the ball and finished with a dunk, giving the Rockets a 1-point lead, prompting a timeout from the Kings. Returning to the game, Holiday hit a three-pointer, and Adams blocked DeRozan. Udoka brought Sengun back in to add more offensive options, and he made a hook shot, which the Kings' Sabonis responded to with a layup. The Kings opened up a 9-point lead with their three-point shooting, forcing Udoka to call another timeout.
Upon resuming play, the Rockets increased their intensity. Dillon hit two three-pointers, and Ethan scored on a layup, leaving the Rockets down by just 1 point. Returning to the game again, Sabonis made a mistake, and Ethan drew a foul, making both free throws. DeRozan went on a scoring spree, and the Kings built a 5-point lead, but the Rockets didn't give up. Jalen Green hit a three-pointer, Sengun drew a foul and made free throws, and Ethan hit a three-pointer, bringing the Rockets within 1 point. In the crucial moment, Fox calmly made both free throws, Green made a driving layup, and Dillon was called for a foul. Fox used his free throws to extend the Kings' lead to 4 points. Green hit a three-pointer but it was too little, too late, as the Rockets ultimately lost by 5 points.
Sengun scored 21 points with 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block, putting in effort despite lacking natural talent. Amon had 20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, emphasizing the need to improve his ball handling and shooting skills.
Ethan made a valiant return after injury, playing 25 minutes and scoring 16 points with 4 rebounds. Adams' condition is gradually improving, proving to be very useful on the court. He played 15 minutes, scoring 5 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots, with a team-high +16 plus/minus rating.
Dillon scored 12 points, Jeff Green had 10 points and 3 rebounds, and Whitmore contributed 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists with 1 block.