The Houston Rockets suffered a surprising loss against the Detroit Pistons in their recent game, which can be considered an upset. Everyone knows that the Rockets have been performing exceptionally well this season, securing the second-best record in the Western Conference. While the Pistons have shown improvement this season, they have not yet reached the level of a powerhouse team. However, in this particular match, the Rockets unfortunately tasted defeat. So, what are the key takeaways from the Rockets' loss? After the game, Coach Udoka lavished praise on one individual, while VanVleet pinpointed a crucial factor, and Amen did not hold back.
As the head coach, Udoka was candid in his post-game assessment, showering praise on the Pistons' Cunningham. Udoka openly stated that he wanted to commend Cunningham for seizing the opportunities presented to him and capitalizing on them. Indeed, Udoka's assessment is accurate; those who watched the game would agree that Cunningham was the primary reason for the Pistons' victory, scoring 32 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists, despite committing 10 turnovers. It's undeniable that Cunningham has finally stepped up to lead his team.
Udoka also criticized his own team, noting that they played as if they hadn't woken up in the first quarter, only managing to play well in the second quarter. It's worth mentioning that the Rockets in this game didn't quite resemble the team everyone is familiar with. This was partly due to their lethargy during the match and partly because they couldn't exploit their usual advantages. Therefore, the Rockets needed this loss to become more alert and to remind themselves not to get too complacent.
VanVleet, the team's starting point guard, also failed to rally the team in this game. Looking at his personal stats, VanVleet scored 20 points, which is a commendable performance, but he only managed to dish out 2 assists. Post-game, VanVleet discussed various aspects and highlighted the key factor behind the team's loss. He believes that the team did not perform like a cohesive unit, whereas the Pistons did. VanVleet has identified the problem, and it remains to be seen how the team will adjust in the future.
Everyone is aware that Amen Thompson and O'Shea Thompson are brothers, and they faced each other in this game, making it a sibling rivalry. Post-game, Amen did not hold back when discussing O'Shea, stating that he wouldn't check his phone and had set O'Shea's messages to silent. It's amusing to see the dynamic between the two brothers. In this game, O'Shea also performed well, scoring 11 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and recording 1 block, contributing to the team's efforts.
After this loss, the Rockets are set to face a challenging schedule. They have five games left in January, including two matches against the Cavaliers, followed by the Celtics and Hawks, and another game against the Grizzlies. Among these five games, the matchup against the Hawks is likely to be the easiest. In other words, if the Rockets can increase their number of victories to 30 by the end of January, they will have accomplished their task.