The Rockets receive a gift in the form of a 128-111 road win over the Pelicans

It looks like there are two factors that will lead to a Rockets win this season: either a start from Amen Thompson or Jalen Green aiming for 30+. Tonight, Houston did both and looked as solid as ever in a game that was over in the third quarter. As I said, the game was decided long before the final whistle, partly because Houston held the lead the entire game. Without New Orleans really getting going, there was never much home field advantage in this game.

A lot of that is thanks to the play of Jalen Green, who, as mentioned, had 30 points. Green set the tone early and got off to a hot start, scoring 16 points on an efficient 7-9 shooting from the field in the first quarter alone. And while he may have slowed down a bit after that, Jalen still managed 30 points in under 30 minutes and just three quarters of the game, proving once again that his offense is always valuable when he’s playing well. And if you want a stat to prove it: Houston is 5-0 when losing 30+, coincidence? I do not think so.

Fred VanVleet also played efficient and valuable minutes, scoring 25 points in three quarters of the game. VanVleet knocked down seven three-pointers and was 8-for-15 from the floor. VanVleet was a key contributor to Houston’s outstanding third quarter that clinched the game. With Dillon Brooks also out again this evening, Amen Thompson slipped back into his starting role quite well and provided nine points and ten rebounds as well as excellent defense. When Amen got the chance to start this season, he took full advantage of it, and the same goes for the Rockets, who went 4-0 in those games. Just like I said it with Jalen, I also say it with Amen; Coincidence? I do not think so.

Overall, Houston’s starting lineup was very good against the Pelicans, dropping a total of 80 points. Alperen Sengun contributed 10 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists while Jabari Smith Jr. struggled from the floor but made up for himself on defense and made a few nice plays.

However, what really won the game was Houston’s offensive outburst. After going 15-25 from the field in the first quarter and 5-10 from three quarters, a 20-6 run helped the Rockets outscore New Orleans 39-22. The second quarter wasn’t quite the same offensively, but defensively it was just as good. The Pels held 21 points and still won the quarter despite going 1:13 from downtown.

However, it was the third quarter that got the game out of control when Houston scored the ball on the heater. With 41 points in the quarter, Houston had consistently efficient numbers, led by VanVleet’s 15 points and five three-pointers: 15-29 from the field and 9-16 from distance. Cam Whitmore also had a good run here, dropping seven points before pouring in 13 points in the fourth quarter, leading him to his career-high 27 points. Very good and productive minutes from Whitmore, this game could be the turning point in his season as he looks to crack the rotation and get real, consistent minutes.

Ultimately, however, Houston’s even-handedness on both sides secured them another stunning victory, increasing their season record to 21-9 and second place in the West. Another quick stat I want to mention is the fact that the Rockets are 7-0 when scoring over 125 points, which I think is a nice nod. This just shows that they are a very difficult team to beat when the offense is working. As of now, however, the Houston Rockets are concentrating on the Minnesota TimberWolves, who they face at home for the second game in a row on Friday. That will take place as usual at 7:00 a.m. CST, and hopefully Houston can extend its winning streak to five games. However, we will be covering this game as usual here on DreamShake, so join in and stay tuned!