Category: Houston Rockets Blog

Rockets blog – Houston Rockets blog

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.

Nets and Rockets trade multiple draft picks

The Brooklyn Nets have acquired their 2025 first round draft pick, negating a previously agreed to swap, and their first round pick in 2026, from the Houston Rockets in exchange for a 2025 first round pick swap (Houston/Oklahoma City for Phoenix), the Phoenix Suns’ 2027 first round pick and a the rights to the two most favorable of the Dallas, Phoenix and Houston first round picks in 2029. Brooklyn retains the least favorable of Dallas, Houston and Phoenix’s first round draft picks in 2029.

The Rockets receive:

– In 2025, the rights to swap either their own first round pick or Oklahoma City’s first round pick in exchange for Phoenix’s first round pick.

– Phoenix’s first round pick in 2027.

– In 2029, the rights to the more favorable of either Dallas’ or Phoenix’s first round pick in addition to the right to swap their own first round pick for the less favorable of either Dallas’ or Phoenix’s first round pick.

The Rockets relinquish:

– In 2025, the right to swap either their first round pick or Oklahoma City’s first round pick in exchange for Brooklyn’s first round pick.

– Brooklyn’s first round pick in 2026.

Weekly Rockets team notes

Some positive-minded weekly Houston Rockets team notes:

Amen Thompson is averaging 12.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals in six games as a starter this season. He is the first rookie to have recorded at least 75 points, 72 rebounds, 25 assists and 10 steals over a span of six starts since Antoine Walker in 1996-97.

Aaron Holiday has scored in double-figures in four straight games, marking his longest streak since a career-best 9-game span in December of 2019. He has scored at least 18 points in three straight games for the first time in his career after having 18+ points once prior this season.

Houston has outrebounded its opponent in eight of the past 11 games after doing so three times the 12 games prior. The Rockets have also outrebounded the opposition by double-digits seven times over the past 11 games after doing so six times the first 43 games of the season.

The Rockets have scored 20+ fast break points in seven of the past 17 games after doing so four times the first 37 games of the season. Houston has already matched last season’s total with 11 games of scoring 20+ fast break points.

Grizzlies trade Steven Adams to Rockets

The Houston Rockets yesterday acquired center Steven Adams in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for guard Victor Oladipo and three future second round draft picks.

Adams (6-11, 265) was originally the 12th overall pick by Oklahoma City in the 2013 NBA Draft and is in his 11th season. In 706 career games with 641 starts, he is averaging 9.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.96 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game while shooting 59.7% from the floor. Adams has also appeared in 66 career playoff games.

Last season for Memphis, Adams averaged 8.6 ppg, a career-high 11.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.10 bpg in 27.0 mpg. He became the second player in NBA history (Andre Drummond in 2020-21) to have averaged at least 8.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 2.0 apg while playing fewer than 28.0 mpg in a single season.

The New Zealand native led the NBA in offensive rebounding in each of the past two seasons (5.1 per in 2022-23 and 4.6 in 2021-22) and is averaging a league-best 4.5 orpg going back to 2017-18. He has the third-most offensive boards (2,599) among active players and ranks ninth in NBA history in offensive rebounds per 36 minutes played (4.9 per) among players with at least 350 games played.

Oladipo (6-4, 213) has competed in 504 games (397 starts) over 10 seasons and has averaged 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 32.2 minutes for Orlando, Indiana, Houston and Miami since he was selected with the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Rockets playing good basketball to enter 2024

Per the Houston Chronicle:

The Houston Rockets, after three years in the Western Conference cellar, are now (mercifully) back into playoff contention as they enter 2024 at an even 15-15. But that doesn’t mean the present outlook is completely rosy for Ime Udoka’s squad as we turn the calendar to January.

The Rockets enter their New Year’s Day tilt against the (suddenly surging!) Detroit Pistons with five losses in their last seven games. They are currently without a pair of injured starters in Jabari Smith Jr. and Dillon Brooks. This is a team that is far better than last year’s 60-loss abomination. But the expected growing pains of Udoka’s first season are increasingly present in recent weeks.

We shouldn’t be too harsh on the Rockets despite their recent swoon. ‘Phase 2’ of the franchise’s rebuild is off to a relatively roaring start, and regardless, this isn’t the time of year for skepticism. So, instead of focusing on recent losses, let’s turn the page forward, offering Udoka and Co. a fresh set of New Year’s resolutions for the rest of the season.

FULL ARTICLE

Dillon Brooks goes wild in Rockets win over Kings

Per the Sacramento Bee:

Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks threw up three fingers and stared down the Sacramento bench after hitting a big 3-pointer in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game against the Kings. Brooks blew the Kings a kiss moments later after burying another long ball to seal Sacramento’s fate.

Brooks had 26 points and nine rebounds to lead the Rockets to a 107-89 victory over the Kings before a sellout crowd of 18,055 at Toyota Center in Houston. Brooks made 9 of 14 from the field and 2 of 4 from 3-point range, both coming during a decisive stretch late in the fourth quarter.

“(Brooks) got in a rhythm,” Kings guard Davion Mitchell said. “He had a really good game. He hits shots. He got comfortable. He’s a basketball player. We’re all competitive and he hit shots. He’s going to talk trash. If he wasn’t hitting shots, he wouldn’t be doing the same thing, so it’s OK. We’ll live with the results and we’ll see them again.”

FULL ARTICLE

Rockets and Thunder complete Kevin Porter Jr., Victor Oladipo trade

The Houston Rockets have traded guard Kevin Porter Jr. and two future second round picks to Oklahoma City in exchange for guard Victor Oladipo and forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Per the Thunder, Porter Jr. will be “waived immediately.”

Oladipo (6-4, 213) is entering his 11th NBA season with career averages of 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.60 steals and 1.6 3-pointers made in 504 games with 397 starts. He appeared in 20 games for the Rockets during 2020-21 prior to being acquired by Miami, where he spent the past two seasons.

The two-time All-Star is one of eight players in NBA history with career averages of at least 16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.50 spg and 1.50 3FGM joining LaMelo Ball, Stephen Curry, Paul George, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. Oladipo was the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2017-18 while also earning All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive First Team honors.

Robinson-Earl (6-9, 240) was the 32nd overall pick by New York in the 2021 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by Oklahoma City. In two seasons for the Thunder, he appeared in 92 games with 56 starts while averaging 7.2 ppg and 4.9 rpg in 20.7 mpg.

Over the past two seasons, Robinson-Earl was one of eight players who averaged at least 7.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.0 3FGM in fewer than 21.0 mpg. In 20 games as a starter in 2022-23, he averaged 8.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 1.2 apg along with 1.4 3FGM on 39.7% shooting.

In a related move, the Rockets have waived forward Matthew Mayer.