Category: Houston Rockets Blog

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Rockets forward Dillon Brooks suspended one game

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2024-25 season, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended without pay for one game once he receives his 16th technical foul during a regular season. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended without pay for an additional game.

Brooks received his most recent technical foul with 7:12 remaining in the first quarter of the Rockets’ 143-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on April 2 at Toyota Center. Brooks will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center.

Rockets sign David Roddy to two-way contract

The Houston Rockets two days ago signed free agent forward David Roddy to a two-way contract.

Roddy (6-5, 255) was originally the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by Philadelphia before his rights were acquired by Memphis. He spent his rookie season with the Grizzlies playing alongside current Rockets Steven Adams and Dillon Brooks.

In 165 career games with 20 starts, Roddy has averaged 13.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per 36 minutes played. The 23-year-old appeared a total of 30 games for Atlanta and Philly this season.

Roddy was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in his final season as a junior with Colorado State in 2021-22. He was honored as the 2019 Minnesota Male High School Athlete of the Year for his performance in basketball, football, and track and field.

Rockets upgrade Nate Williams to a standard contract, waive Cody Zeller

The Houston Rockets have converted guard/forward Nate Williams’ deal to a standard NBA contract.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived center Cody Zeller.

Williams (6-5, 205) spent the past season and a half as a two-way player with the Rockets. He has appeared in 30 games for Houston over that span, while averaging 19.1 points per 36 minutes played and shooting 55.6% from the floor.

This season, Williams appeared in a total of 17 G League Showcase and regular season games while transferred to the Rockets affiliate, Rio Grande Valley. He averaged 20.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals in those games.

Rockets notes after beating Timberwolves 121-115

With the win tonight, the Rockets split the season series against the Timberwolves 2-2. Houston is 3-1 over its past four games after losing a season-high six straight prior while Minnesota has lost three of its past four games after winning its previous three games.

Houston scored 121 points, marking its first game with 120+ since scoring 135 at Cleveland on 1/25. Minnesota has allowed 120+ points in two of its past four games after doings so once the 15 games prior. The Rockets are 14-2 when scoring 120+ this season while the Wolves are 1-7 when giving up 120+.

The Rockets held the Wolves to 11 3FGM on 38.9% shooting. Minnesota averaged 10.0 3FGM on 26.3% shooting in its two losses to Houston this season compared to 18.5 3FGM on 45.1% shooting in its two wins. The Rockets have held opponents to 31.3% shooting from behind-the-arc over the past 11 games after the opposition shot 39.2% the 19 games prior.

Houston outrebounded Minnesota by 13 tonight after the Wolves outrebounded the Rockets by an average of 3.0 rpg in the first three meetings. The Rockets have outrebounded their opponent by double-digits in four of the past eight games and a league-high 19 times overall this season (15-4 mark).

Jalen Green had 35 points on 12-of-24 shooting, including 5-of-11 from 3-point range. He has scored 25+ points in 14 of the 24 games since the start of January after doing so eight times the first 32 games of the season. Houston is 9-0 when Green scores 30+ points this season.

Alperen Sengun had 24 points and 13 rebounds. It is his third straight double-double and his 33rd in 53 games played this season after recording 29 in 63 games played in 2023-24. Sengun had a total of 27 points in the final three games heading into All-Star break after averaging 23.3 ppg the three games prior.

Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points and 9 rebounds in 38 minutes of play tonight after missing the previous 22 games due to injury. The Rockets are 10-1 when he scores 15+ points this season. Smith shot 4-of-6 from 3-point range tonight. Over his last 21 games played before getting injured, he averaged 2.0 3FGM on 41.2% shooting.

Anthony Edwards had 37 points on 32 shot attempts and scored 3 points on 1-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter. It is the tied for his second-lowest point total when having 30+ shot attempts in his career. Edwards averaged 32.8 ppg on 42.7% shooting in the four games vs. Houston this season. He is averaging 37.0 ppg over his past six games played.

Hawks trade Cody Zeller to Rockets

The Houston Rockets yesterday acquired center Cody Zeller and a 2028 second round pick, which originally belonged to them, in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for the draft rights to Alpha Kaba.

Zeller (6-11, 247) was the fourth overall pick by Charlotte in the 2013 NBA Draft. The 11-year veteran has appeared in 552 games with 275 starts while averaging 7.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.7 minutes per game.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived guard Jaden Springer.

Celtics trade Jaden Springer to Rockets

The Houston Rockets yesterday acquired guard Jaden Springer in a trade with the Boston Celtics along with a 2030 second round pick and a protected second round pick in 2027 for a protected second round pick in 2031.

Springer (6-4, 216) was originally the 28th overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2021 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Tennessee. The 22-year-old spent his first two and a half seasons with the Sixers prior to being acquired by the Celtics last February and was a member of their championship team.

In 93 career games with four starts, Springer is averaging 12.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals per 36 minutes played. He was named the 2022-23 NBA G League Finals MVP after helping the Delaware Blue Coats win their first title.

Rockets’ Ime Udoka, Tari Eason and Alperen Sengun fined by NBA

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka, forward Tari Eason and center Alperen Sengun have been fined $50,000, $35,000 and $15,000, respectively, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

Udoka has been fined $50,000 for confronting and directing profane language toward a game official, failing to leave the court in a timely manner after being ejected, and public criticism of the officiating during his postgame press conference.

Eason has been fined $35,000 for throwing a towel and directing inappropriate language in the direction of a fan in the spectator stands after the game had concluded.

Sengun has been fined $15,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a game official.

The in-game incident, for which Udoka and Sengun were both assessed technical fouls and ejected, occurred with 1:52 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ 120-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

Ime Udoka named West Coach of Month for October and November 2024

The NBA announced that Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka was named Western Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November. He also won the award the last time it was available in March of 2024 and was a two-time Eastern Conference Coach of the Month while serving as head coach of Boston in 2021-22.

Overall this season, the Rockets are 15-6 and trail Oklahoma City by half a game for the top spot in the Western Conference standings. That is Houston’s best start to a season since going 17-4 in 2017-18.

The Rockets are also 3-0 during Group Play for Emirates NBA Cup 2024, heading into their final game tonight at Sacramento. Houston has already clinched a spot in the Knockout Round and will play their qualifying game next week for the right to advance to the Semifinals in Las Vegas on Saturday, Dec. 14. Details for the qualifying game will be available following tonight’s game.

Houston joins Boston as the only teams who have not lost consecutive games this season. Only one of the Rockets losses was by more than six points and Houston has eight wins by double-digits while outscoring opponents by an average of 8.2 ppg. The Rockets are 13-1 when leading at halftime and 14-1 when ahead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Rockets team notes for Oct. 21, 2024

Jalen Green: Scored a total of 82 points in 95 minutes of play this preseason while averaging 20.5 points and 4.0 3-pointers made on 43.2% shooting… he averaged 22.3 ppg in wins last season and averaged 3.5 3FGM on 37.3% shooting over the final 24 games.

Alperen Sengun: Averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.25 steals in just 24.5 minutes per game this preseason while shooting 66.7% from the floor… in 2023-24, he became the sixth different player in NBA history to have averaged at least 20.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 5.0 apg while shooting 53.0% or better in a season.

Scoring: The Rockets scored at least 113 points in all four of their games this preseason, while averaging 120.5 ppg overall… Houston was 31-23 when scoring 110+ points last season and ranked 16th in the NBA with 114.3 ppg.

Rebounding: Houston outrebounded each of its final three preseason opponents by an average of 14.0 rpg… the Rockets were 25-15 when outrebounding their opponent by any margin in 2023-24.

Rockets sign Matt Bradley

The Houston Rockets yesterday signed free agent guard Matt Bradley.

Bradley (6-4, 220) was eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft after helping San Diego State reach its first national championship game as a fifth-year senior. He spent last season playing for the Rostock Seawolves in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga.

Bradley spent his first three collegiate seasons with California before transferring to the Aztecs. He earned First Team All-Mountain West honors in both 2022-23 and 2023-24 and shot 39.1% from 3-point range for his career.