The Rockets got the result they wanted Wednesday night, and they did it even with Stephen Curry leaving early after injuring his hip in the first quarter and not returning.
That made life easier for Houston, no question. But the Rockets had already come out firing before Curry exited, jumping to a 19-10 lead with Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun each at seven points. Golden State still made a game of it, though, clawing back to within single digits in the fourth quarter and forcing Houston to finish with precision.
Sengun was right in the middle of it again. The Rockets center put together another all-around night, helping fuel the 35-20 first quarter and finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. He was 8 of 14 from the field and once again looked completely in rhythm, doing damage without forcing the issue.
Fred VanVleet gave Houston another lift with his shooting. As he continues to work back from injury, his efficiency is trending up, and Wednesday was another step forward.
He went 6 of 9 overall and hit 4 of 7 from deep, pushing his November shooting percentage to 49%. That’s a sharp jump from October, and it matters because when he’s making shots like that, the Rockets become much harder to guard.
Marcus Smart brought the edge Houston wanted when it targeted him in free agency, but he crossed the line in the third quarter. Trailing the play after Amen Thompson scored and was fouled in transition, Smart threw a punch at Warriors reserve Charles Bassey. The sequence appeared to stem from their arms getting locked up while the Rockets were on defense, with Smart apparently frustrated that Bassey would not let go.
Smart was ejected immediately and headed to the locker room, leaving Houston a little thinner in the backcourt. At that point, the Rockets were ahead 84-76.
Bassey’s head snapped back on the play, although it was unclear whether Smart actually connected. The NBA could still add discipline, but Houston at least avoided a wider problem, since the rest of the Rockets stayed on the bench and would not be affected if Smart is punished.
The Rockets now move on to Friday’s matchup with the one-win Utah Jazz, where Smart’s availability may not loom all that large.
In Other News...
Warriors Face A Draymond Green Question They Never Expected
Draymond Greens name surfacing in trade chatter is the kind of development the Warriors never really expected to be managing this time of year. According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Sacramento Kings have interest in Green ahead of the February mid-season deadline, which immediately turns a familiar Golden State cornerstone into an unexpected talking point as the market starts to take shape.
A deal between the Warriors and Kings would come with plenty of hurdles, from fit to contract considerations, and the idea still feels more like a difficult possibility than a clear path forward. Still, the fact that Green is being discussed at all says plenty about how quickly the deadline can force even the most established teams into uncomfortable territory, and there has been no official trade confirmed. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Injury Situation Just Made This Rockets Test Feel Different
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Will Richard is among the names to watch after being listed as questionable with a left thumb UCL tear, and he is part of a broader list of players on both teams dealing with availability concerns. For Golden State, that adds another layer to a road test that was already going to say plenty about where this group stands early in the season. A strong start has given the Warriors some breathing room, but the kind of game they get in Houston could hinge as much on who is available as on who is playing best. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Backcourt Plans Could Suddenly Revive A Familiar Reunion Talk
The Warriors eight-game surge has only sharpened the sense that this group is back in the kind of position where bigger roster ideas start to surface. After the win over New Orleans, Golden State is once again being mentioned in the same breath as high-end names such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, which tells you how quickly the conversation can shift when a team starts stacking victories and looking ahead to the next offseason.
Jordan Poole has also re-entered the picture in a way that would have sounded unlikely not long ago, with the former Warrior saying he would be open to a return as a free agent. If Golden State does end up with more salary cap flexibility next offseason, the front office may have more room to explore familiar paths as well as splashier ones, and that is the kind of backdrop that keeps reunion talk alive even when the roster is already rolling. [Read more 🡒]