Rookies Rescue Rockets From Rampaging Rando
This was an odd game.
Both teams were coming off painful losses the night before. Both teams were hungry for a win. Well, judging by the way the game opened, the Suns were desperate for a win, and the Rockets were desperate for a nap.
The Suns jumped out to an early lead, and lead big in the first quarter. Things looked bleak early. Despite the Rockets playing at home, despite the presence of Dunkstronaut, the Rockets looked like losing again, as they did to Peak Pelicans (lifespan: one game).
Enter The Rookies. Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore came into the game in the first and immediately provided energy, scoring and frankly, a will to win that seemed lacking in the starting unit. It might not seem like much, but they cut into the Suns’ big lead, reducing it to eight to end the first quarter.
In the second quarter the Rocket starting unit, especially Fred VanVleet came alive. Stingy Rockets defense, crisp offense and great three point shooting lead to a 37-24 second quarter for the Rockets and an unexpected halftime lead.
The dreaded third quarter was coming up, though, so surely the Rockets would crater. Not so much, behind inspired play mostly from Amen Thompson the Rockets lead this quarter as well, 32-24. The Rockets held a nice 13pt lead going into the fourth quarter, and Phoenix has the reputation of being a bad fourth quarter team, so the Rockets could count on smooth sailing ahead, right?
Not so much. Phoenix rallied around their stalwart, the scorer the Suns turn to when times are tough, when games are tight in the fourth quarter, when they absolutely, positively, have to get a bucket: Bol Bol.
That’s right, despite the presence of Devin “Paperback” Booker and Kevin Durant, the player who nearly wrecked things for the Rockets was Bol Bol. Bol Bol scored 25pts on 11-17 shooting, was 2-3 from 3pt range, had 14 rebounds, 6 offensive, 1 steal, 1 block. His average this season? 3.9pts/2.7rbs (.7 offensive)/.7ast/.2stl/.6blk. The Rando Returned for Revenge on the Rockets!
Behind the Rampaging Rando, Durant and Booker and Grayscum Allen the Suns took a brief lead late in the 4th quarter. The Rockets, behind some clutch play from Amen Thompson, and big baskets from Cam Whitmore and Jabari Smith regained a narrow lead.
The the dreaded fouls and threes, and fouls, and threes, and reviews, and free throw violations, and I don’t know, it was nearly unbearable, but uber free throw artists Durant and Grayscum both missed free throws late and the Rockets won.
The Rockets really deserved to win. The Suns were only in this one due to Bol Bol, and with apologies to both Bol and Bol, too bad.
The Rockets needed this win, and the Suns are kind of an unpleasant bunch overall, so that makes it better. The Suns just aren’t fun to watch, with Devin Booker whining and throwing himself at ground nearly constantly late in games like an overtall Neymar, Grayscum Allen simply existing, Frank Vogel’s face relentlessly Vogeling, and Kevin Durant’s evident stance that he should have a private, and separate rulebook. They’re less than the sum of their parts.
Despite winning, no Rocket really had a good scoring night. There are players people love to single out as playing. or at least shooting it, badly, but who is who from this list: 6-18, 6-15, 1-6, 5-13, 7-15, 5-11, 6-11?
Respectively: Jabari, Sengun, Brooks, Jalen, Fred, Cam, Amen. That’s kind of a woeful offensive night from everyone, with only Amen cracking 50% on FGA. The reason the Rockets won, though, is a streak of good play, and Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun grabbing 5 and 6 offensive rebounds that kept the offense alive.
I’ve heard that Dallas defeating this Suns team was a “Statement Win”. Was this also a “Statement Win” from the Rockets? And if so, what was the statement?
My statement is “Be grateful for this win, move on, and play better next time.”
Also, Ime, you’ve really, truly, got to stop with Aaron Holiday being the primary point guard with Amen in the game. Aaron isn’t a point guard, despite his size, and Amen, despite his size, is.