The Rockets narrowly beat the Pelicans on the road, and Shin Kyung-Smith both broke out in a key game of the 2023 NBA regular season, and the Rockets narrowly defeated the Pelicans 106-104 on the road, ending a two-game losing streak. The outcome of the game was not decided until the last minute, with the Rockets turning the tide at a crucial moment thanks to the excellent performances of Shin Jing and Smith, while the Pelicans were defeated by Zion's mistakesMissed opportunity for a reversal.
The Rockets' Shin Kyung and Smith were the biggest contributors to the game, and the two of them played flawlessly and eye-catching. Shin Kyung, the player who was once snubbed by Udoka,Today I proved my worth with my performance.
He scored 37 points in the game, including six three-pointers, and was the Rockets' leading scorer. Shin Kyung's scoring ability has always been his strength, but he was in the previous matches,But there is not enough trust and opportunity.
Udoka has repeatedly criticized his defense and passing, and has even been in rotation at times. This made Shen Jing very frustratedIt also puzzled the fans.
But Shin Kyung didn't give up, he worked hard to improve his all-round skills in training, while also taking every opportunity in the competition to show his strength. In his last game against the Suns, he scored 32 pointsHelp the Rockets win narrowly.
And in today's game, he played his best, not only scoring crazy on the offensive end, but also actively fighting on the defensive end, causing a lot of pressure on the Pelicans' guards. Shen Jing's performance is amazing, and it also makes people look forward to whether he can maintain such a state in the next gamesBe a consistent scoring point for the Rockets.
Smith, who is seen as the future by the Rockets, has also shown his potential. He finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block, and was the Rockets' second-leading scorerHe was also the only player to have a double-double.
Smith's physicality is outstanding, he can hit the inside, he can shoot jumpers, he can shoot threes on the outside, he can also break through, he can defend the opponent's interior on the defensive end, he can also switch to the outside, he is an all-around player who can play both offense and defense. But the problem with Smith is that he sometimes lacks confidence, he lacks consistency, his performances have ups and downs, sometimes he is outstandingSometimes it's banal.
In today's game, Smith showed his standout side, scoring 24 points in the first three quarters and being one of the Rockets' leading scorers. In the fourth quarter, although his shots were reduced, he scored a key layup in the final momentsHelped the Rockets seal the win.
Smith's performance is gratifying, and it is also exciting to see if he can maintain such confidence in the next games and become a core player for the Rockets. In addition to Shin Kyung and Smith,The rest of the Rockets' players were more mediocre.
VanVleet, Dillon, Eason and Jeff Green are all passing performances, and they all contribute in their respective positions, but there are not too many bright spots. VanVleet had a poor shooting touch today, only 3-of-12 shooting, and got 9 points and 6 assists, but in the fourth quarter, he was able to find Shen Jing's hot spot in time and sent him a few good shots, and he also played a certain role on the defensive endRestricted the Pelicans' guards.
Dillon's task today is to defend the Pelicans' two main players, Ingram and Zion, although he didn't have much performance on the offensive end, only 6 points and 4 rebounds, but he did a very good job on the defensive end, he not only made Ingram and Zion's shooting percentage lower, but also in the final moments, steal Zion's pass, and contributed to the Rockets' victory. Ethan's performance today was also okay, he got 10 points and 8 rebounds, and was one of the pillars of the Rockets' interior, and his cooperation with Smith gave the Rockets an advantage on the inside, but his efficiency was a bit low, especially in the finishing of the basketSometimes opportunities are wasted.
Jeff Green only played 13 minutes today, but he came on the court in the final moments, but he brought stability to the Rockets, he contributed in all aspects, he got 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal, and was a fixture for the Rockets. As for Greene, Holiday and Amen and Tate,They didn't do well today.
Green scored nine points on 2-of-8 shooting today, but he had six turnovers, and he didn't do a good job of controlling the tempo and organizing the offense, and he was dropped by Udoka in the fourth quarter, raising concerns about his future. Holiday also had a poor shooting today, scoring six points on 2-of-9 shooting, and he didn't pose much of a threat to the Rockets on the offensive end, compared to his previous performanceThere is a big decline.
Amen's performance today was also sluggish, he only made 1 of 5 shots, got 3 points, he looked hesitant on the court, he didn't dare to shoot, he didn't dare to break through, he didn't score 3 points and free throws, and he didn't have any bright spots on the defensive end, which made people doubt his progress. Tate also had a poor performance today, he only shot 1-of-6 and scored 4 points, he didn't help the Rockets on the offensive end, his three-point shot was inaccurate, his breakthrough didn't work, and he couldn't defend the Pelicans on the outside lineOne is worried about his state.
The Pelicans have had mixed performances, with their main players Ingram and Zion playing well, but their bench players haven't given them much support. Ingram got 29 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists today, is the Pelicans' top scorer, he showed his versatility on the offensive end, he can shoot three-pointers, he can also shoot, he can also break through, he is the offensive core of the Pelicans, but he didn't do a good job on the defensive end, he let Shen Jing and Smith score like no one, and he didn't step up in the final momentsTake responsibility.
Zion got 27 points and 10 rebounds today, is the second scorer of the Pelicans, and the only player to get a double-double, his strength on the inside, so that the Rockets' interior unstoppable, his speed and explosiveness, also make the Rockets' outside unable to keep up, he is the Pelicans' interior pillar, but he made a fatal mistake in the final moments, his pass was stealed by Dillon, so that the Pelicans lost the opportunity to reverse, he should be more calm at this time, more decisive, not hesitant, let the opponent seize the opportunity。 In addition to Ingram and Zion,The rest of the Pelicans' players were more lackluster.
Antetokounmpo had 14 points and 6 rebounds today, and is the Pelicans' third-leading scorer, he has a role to play inside, but his efficiency is not high, and he doesn't pose much threat to the Rockets' interior on the defensive end, and his performance still has room for improvement. Hart had 11 points and 5 rebounds today and was the only Pelicans bench player to score in double figures, and he had some bright spots on the offensive end, but he didn't do well on the defensive end, and he made it easy for VanVleet and Shin Jing to scoreHis performance left something to be desired.
As for the other players, such as Redick, Alexander Walker, Hayes, Bledsoe, etc., they were all average today, they didn't help the Pelicans much on the offensive end, and they didn't bother the Rockets too much on the defensive end, and their performance was disappointing and worrying. Overall, this game is a close matchup, with both the Rockets and Pelicans having their strengths and weaknesses, they both have their own workhorses and benches, they both have their own scoring and defense, and they both have their own highlights and turnoversThey all have their own victories and defeats.
The Rockets narrowly defeated the Pelicans by 2 points, a lucky victory, and a hard win, as they relied on the excellent performances of Shin Kyung and Smith to turn the tide and end a two-game losing streak, and they also gave themselves confidence and hope to the fans. The Pelicans eventually lost to the Rockets by 2 points, which was an unfortunate defeat and a failure of effort, they relied on the good performance of Ingram and Zion, and kept biting the score, but they made mistakes at key moments, missed the opportunity to turn around, and they also brought regret to themselvesIt also brought disappointment to the fans.
This game is a wonderful game, but also a cruel game, it shows the charm of the NBA, but also shows the cruelty of the NBA, it makes people cheer, it makes people sigh, it makes people look forward to it, it makes people worry, it makes people move, it makes people heartbreak. That's the NBA, that's basketballThat's life.