The Suns-Rockets game was a tough start to the game, with Green and Gordon scoring four straight points from each other at the start. Not to be outdone, the Suns' Van Jordan and Nurkic also showed strong offensive firepower. However, the Rockets' Smith and Van Jordan's excellent performances also kept the score tight. As the game continued, the Suns started to push their way, Allen and Booker took turns scoring, while the Rockets were stuck in a series of turnovers.
At the end of the first quarter, the Suns led by six points, 30-24. Durant was only 0-of-1 in the first quarter and had no desire to attack at all. Heading into the second quarter, the Rockets' situation became even worse, and the margin returned to double digits. Although Durant suddenly broke out, the Suns' offense was still strong, and the margin once widened to 14 points. However, with back-to-back performances from Green and Gordon, the Rockets once again chased the margin to single digits.
It's a pity that the response of Booker, Azubuike and Gordon opened up the gap again. At halftime, the Suns led the Rockets 73-55. The first-half stats showed that Gordon had 21 points and 2 blocks, while Durant contributed 10 points, 5 rebounds and 10 assists. In the Rockets, Shin Jing performed eye-catchingly, scoring 13 points and 2 rebounds, while Jalen Green also had 16 points and 5 rebounds. Smith and Allen contributed 9 and 10 points, respectively.
The Suns led by 20 points at one point after the rematch, but Green's three-point shot allowed the Rockets to start a comeback. Even so, the Suns' offense is still strong, and the margin remains in double digits. Suns 129-113 Rockets: Durant chipped in 27 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists and 2 steals to lead the Suns to victory In a tight game, the Suns defeated the Rockets 129-113.
In this game, Durant performed eye-catchingly, contributing 27 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists and 2 steals, and made 9 of 16 shots, showing his all-round strength. He played a key role in the middle and end of the second quarter, not only scoring but also providing a ton of assists. It is worth mentioning that Gordon also played well, contributing 27 points and 3 blocks, and hit 4 three-pointers in a row in the second quarter to win the victory for the Suns.
For the Rockets, Jalen Green also had a good performance, he scored 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, hit 6 three-pointers, and set a new personal record this season. The Suns ended a three-game losing streak in this game, with a 15-15 record, successfully overtaking the Warriors to move up to 10th in the West. The win lifted the Suns' rankings, but they still need to work hard to improve their game to cope with the more intense competition.
The Rockets have suffered a heavy defeat in their most recent games, mainly due to the players who have not performed as well as they should on the defensive end. Shin Kyung contributed 24 points and five rebounds in the game, but his defensive ability was questioned and did little to protect the basket. VanVleet was also disappointing, contributing just 10 points, two rebounds and six assists. Smith had a terrible run in the game, finishing just nine points, three rebounds and two steals without much possession.
Tate and Eason also struggled, finishing with seven points, two rebounds and six points, three rebounds, as well as two assists and five steals, respectively. Whitmore exploded in the final quarter of the game, scoring 12 points and being a fig leaf for the team. Amen contributed two points, four rebounds and three assists, while Holiday had 13 points. It can be seen that Jalen Green's position in the team cannot be replaced, and the team is in dire need of his scoring explosiveness.
The Rockets do lack a consistent scoring flashpoint, and the six players – Green, Shin Kyung, Smith, Eason, Amen and Whitmore – basically have some shortcomings. Despite losing to the Suns, the Rockets are still in eighth place in the West, but their margin has been tied by the Lakers behind them. This game has shone a glimpse into some of the problems with the Rockets, who need a more consistent and well-rounded performance to keep them ranked and competitive.