The Rockets have finally won! Green broke out, VanVleet 22+11, and the new signings made 20+5 steals
On November 2, the NBA regular season focused on the Rockets against the Hornets at home. Whether it can stop the decline after 3 consecutive defeats and whether it can get the first win of the season has attracted much attention. The Hornets are also a weak team, currently losing 2 in a row in the East. Van Vleet got off to a quick start and helped his team score points and open up the deficit easily. After the first quarter, the Rockets overpowered the Hornets 39-27. VanVleet shot 5-of-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range in the first quarter to finish with 13 points and three assists. Jalen Green also exploded, scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting, 2-of-2 from three-point range and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
In the second quarter, Dillon Brooks was unusually solid on the defensive end, easily making his fourth steal. After Green hit a three-pointer, he led by as many as 18 points at one point. Maledon and Washington hit two three-pointers in a row, and after that, the Rockets briefly went silent. After halftime, the Hornets were 58-61. The main force of the Hornets began to exert force, and the difference was greatly reduced. The Rockets' rotation lineup does not have much vitality, and Whitmore, who has been very eye-catching before, has not yet had the opportunity to enter the rotation, which is a little pity. The Rockets barely took the lead.
In the second half, the Rockets struggled to stabilize the situation and eventually achieve a valuable victory. The final quarter was an incredible 42-41 in a single quarter. At the last moment, Jalen Green opened up Ren Du's second vein, hit a three-point shot, and then assisted Shen Jing to score a dunk, and finally continued to make free throws to stabilize the victory. Green scored 23 points on 6-of-16 shooting. VanVleet finished with 22 points and 11 assists on 8-of-17 shooting and 5-of-10 from three-point range. The main team played collectively, and the substitutes were too poor. Dillon had 20 points, 5 assists and 5 steals, a career-high steal statistic.
The win was largely due to the main force, and the defensive prowess of Dillon Brooks could not be ignored, which also made the Rockets excited. After all, Whitmore hasn't gotten a chance yet, and once he waits for the opportunity, he will lead the bench to fight back.