On December 24, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued to unfold, and the Rockets challenged the Pacers back-to-back. Jaylen Green, the rocket's new talent, officially returned in this game, and the Pacers side Sabonis Jr. and Brogdon were absent due to injury. After the game began, the Rockets were able to bite the score at first, but unfortunately the defensive end could not limit the opponent, and the Pacers gradually occupied the initiative on the court, leading by 11 points at one point, but then the Rockets began to chase points, and fell behind 58-63 after halftime.
Green returned from injury in this game and entered the starting lineup, teaming up with Gordon, Matthews, Tate and Wood, while the Pacers were LeVert, Duarte, Holliday, Brisette and Turner.
In the first quarter, Turner took the lead to help the team score points, Gordon broke through the layup, Duarte hit a three-pointer, Brisette hit a three-pointer, and the Pacers took an 8-2 lead. Rocket Green hit 2 consecutive three-pointers to stop the bleeding, and then the two teams fell into a tug-of-war, with Wood's three-point shot, the Rockets once reversed the score, but unfortunately the good times did not last long, pacers Craig and Turner hit consecutive three-point shots to regain the lead. The Pacers then took the initiative on the court, trailing the Pacers 28-36 in the first quarter as Lamb scored.
In the second quarter, the Pacers continued to exert their strength, scoring a second offense than Taze, and the Pacers led by 10 points. When the rocket was in trouble, the shenjing of the inner line broke out, and the inner line continued to show the operation, and also dedicated a wonderful one-handed split. After that, the Rockets began to chase points, Green's outside three-pointers also scored, the Pacers relied on Turner on the inside line to score consecutive points, Green's outside three-pointers soared again, Duarte responded, but the Rockets were in excellent offensive form, once narrowing the point difference to 3 points. Colewell hit two consecutive three-pointers to help the team stabilize the situation. Half-time, the Rockets trailed the Pacers 58-63.
In this game, the Rockets' eye show Green officially returned, did not expect to usher in an outbreak as soon as he returned, the feel was still hot, 4 of 6 in the first half of the field, got 12 points, it was his two consecutive three-point shots in the second quarter, helping the team to set off a counterattack and successfully narrow the point difference. Wood scored 15 points.
In this campaign, the Rockets lost the inside line, and the Pacers grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the first half, and in order to complete the reversal in the second half, the Rockets need to protect their own penalty areas.