After playing six of their first nine games away from home, the Houston Rockets began a three-game homestand at Toyota Center on Wednesday. The Rockets easily defeated the Washington Wizards, a one-win team with the poorest record in the NBA, 135–112, led by a season-high 21 points from Reed Sheppard and 20 from Tari Eason. With Sheppard and Eason leading the way, Houston’s bench scored 56 points. Alperen Şengün contributed 16 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists, while Kevin Durant scored 23 points, 19
of which came in the first half. Amen Thompson scored eighteen points. in addition to a team-best eight assists. Houston, the league’s top-ranked offense, faced Washington, the league’s second-worst-ranked defense. And it was evident. By halftime, the Rockets had scored 81 points, which was their highest total of the season. Houston outscored Washington 53-37 and shot 53% from the floor, including 50% from 3-point range, to end the game. At every position, Houston was larger than Washington; even Josh Okogie, the 6-foot-4 starting guard for the Rockets, was an inch taller than CJ McCollum, the point guard for the Wizards. Sarr and Tristan Vukcevic, an uncommon double-big combination, were even deployed by the Wizards, but it wasn’t enough to tip the scales in their favor. The most points a Rockets player has scored in a quarter this season was 16 points from Durant in the first quarter. In addition to making a living at the foul line and shooting 11-of-14 free throws, including Durant’s 5-of-6, Houston hit 50% from the field. By halftime, the Rockets had more than twice as many rebounds as the Wizards, four players with double figures, and 20 assists on 30 field goals. The total result was a 27-point advantage. Importantly, in the first half, the Rockets only committed three turnovers, and the Wizards only managed four points from those. The Rockets, however, were outscored 33-22 and outrebounded by three points in the third quarter after dominating the Wizards in the first half. The Rockets’ six mistakes gave the Wizards nine points, proving that the turnover bug has returned. However, Houston was able to settle down and managed to win the fourth quarter 32 – 25.
Houston looks to remain undefeated during their homestand with their next game on Friday at 7:00 pm versus the Portland Trail Blazers.
