On Friday night, Jalen Green scored 27 points, including two huge dunks in the third quarter, and the Houston Rockets overcame the Portland Trail Blazers 123-107.
The Rockets, who had dropped four of their previous six games and were coming off a 122-116 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, had Fred VanVleet add 18 points and 10 assists. Alperen Sengun scored 19 points in the end.
Trail Blazers forward Dalano Banton scored a career-high thirty points in their third consecutive defeat.
About his momentum-shifting dunks, Green noted, “It’s a big energy booster.” The group with our sidelines, shouted as they stood there. I simply get shivers down my spine. It simply alters the atmosphere as a whole.
Portland (17-45) had a 12-point advantage, but Houston gained ground in the third quarter and extended their lead to 99-88 on a three-pointer by Jock Landale with 8:45 remaining. Toward the end, the Rockets (28–35) had an 18-point lead.
Ime Udoka, the coach of the Rockets, challenged the players at halftime since he wasn’t happy with how they started.
“I adore how they accepted the challenge and showed up to hold them to 24 in the third and 20 in the fourth. The energy was better and they responded nicely because we really used the defense to light up our game overall, Udoka remarked.
DeAndre Ayton, who missed his fifth straight game due to a sprained right wrist, was not available for the Blazers. Long-term injuries also kept Malcolm Brogdon and rookie Scoot Henderson out of the game.
Jerami Grant was out again on Wednesday due to right hamstring tightness. He missed Portland’s game against Oklahoma City on Monday but came back for the team’s 128-120 loss. A right hip injury kept Jabari Walker out of action.
Toumani Camara was a Portland player who was sick on Wednesday and missed the game.
The Blazers’ coach Chauncey Billups described it as “frustrating.” The positive thing is that we’re working to advance. Thus, it does provide the young men with a chance to receive some playing time. However, you end up losing a lot of chances to develop a rapport and work well together with the players you most rely on. That makes it somewhat of a double-edged sword.
In the first quarter, the Blazers led by eleven points, but in the second, Houston matched the score at 42 thanks to a 3-pointer from Jabari Smith Jr. Before the half, Portland led 63-55, but the Rockets pulled ahead for a short while.
Portland finished with 16 3-pointers, compared to 12 in the first half.
Green scored a layup to pull the Rockets within 70-65 after stealing the ball and making a spectacular dunk over Simons. After Green dunked once again to cut the deficit to 77-76, Cam Whitmore’s basket gave the Rockets the advantage.
Portland trailed by just 92-87 entering the last frame, keeping it close.
“Those dunks that Jalen had when he was just playing defense, spreading out and locking up.” It shifts the tide in our favor,” stated Houston’s Amen Thompson, who finished with 16 points off the bench.
It was the second of the two teams’ four meetings. January saw the first victory for the Blazers.
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