Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge On the morning of December 7, Beijing time, the Rockets defeated the visiting Thunder 110-101 at home, improving their record to 9-9, of which the home record is an astonishing 9-1, and the away is an embarrassing 8-game losing streak, and the Rockets are currently the only team that has not won on the road.
This season, under Udoka's tutelage, the Rockets' spirit has been greatly improved, especially on the defensive end, and the resulting improvement in record is also obvious, they are extremely strong at home, and can double defeat the defending champion Nuggets, making Jokic an empty slasher. But when they got to the road, no matter how well they started the game, they still lost in the end. The reason for all this, although there are many human factors, such as the number of free throws is significantly less than that of the opponent, and the key penalties are always lost, but the most fundamental reason is that their lineup is too civilian.
The absence of superstars has prevented them from playing hero shots at crucial moments. Jalen Green still has a long way to go, and Whitmore, despite his great potential, will struggle to integrate into the team quickly. In fact, the current poor road record is just a symptom, and once it comes to the playoffs, the problems caused by the Rockets' lack of stars will be even more prominent. For them, it's either a trade for a superstar, or they're pinning their hopes on Jalen Green's rapid growth.