On February 1, the game between the Rockets and the Pelicans has come to an end, and the Rockets finally lost to the Pelicans 99-110 at home. Throughout the game, the Rockets faced a huge challenge on the inside, and fell into a comprehensive disadvantage in the interior confrontation with the Pelicans.
First, let's take a look at the rebounding stats of the Rockets vs. Pelicans. For the game, the Rockets had 29 rebounds, while the Pelicans grabbed 56 rebounds and the Rockets lost 27 rebounds. In terms of key frontcourt rebounds, the Rockets got just five, while the Pelicans grabbed 12 frontcourt rebounds. These stats speak volumes about the Rockets' deficiencies in interior defense and rebounding protection.
Pelicans center Wallan had a great game in this game, slashing 25 points and 14 rebounds, and the Rockets drew six fouls in the fourth quarter alone. In comparison, the Rockets' center Shin Kyung only had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists, and only made 4 of 11 shots from the field. Shin Kyung fell to the bottom in the confrontation with Varan across the board.
In addition, the Rockets' Smith did not play at his level in this game. He shot 0-of-6 and didn't score a point, which was a stark contrast to the previous game against the Lakers. In the previous game, Smith also had an excellent performance of 18 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. But facing the Pelicans' interior in this game, Smith was also dumbfounded.
Judging from the performance of the game and the statistics of the two teams in this game, the Rockets' loss in this game was mainly lost on the inside. Facing the Pelicans' strong interior line, the Rockets' Shin Kyung and Smith did not perform well, resulting in the team being at an extreme disadvantage in rebounding and defense. If the Rockets want to achieve better results in future games, they must strengthen their interior strength and defensive capabilities, especially in rebounding protection, which needs to be improved even more. At the same time, Shen Jing and Smith also need to continuously improve their strength and ability through hard training and the accumulation of competition experience, so as to better cope with the challenges encountered in the competition.
In addition to the interior issues, the Rockets also need to strengthen and improve in other areas. For example, the team's outside shooting is not ideal and needs to improve the shooting percentage; The team's offensive playmaking also needs to be more fluid and efficient; On the defensive end, the Rockets need to step up their pressing and disrupting opponents to reduce their opponents' chances of scoring easily.
However, despite the Rockets' loss in this game, we can't ignore the team's highlights and improvements in the game. Jalen Green scored 31 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists and played another good game. Whitmore's 17 points were also impressive. But the loss of the Rockets in this game is mainly due to the explosion of the inside, and Shen Jing and Smith Jr. need to carry this "cauldron" of loss on their backs!
Finally, as a young team, the Rockets need to keep learning and growing. By strengthening the accumulation of training and competition experience, and constantly improving their strength and ability, they can achieve better results in future competitions. A loss is nothing, and hopefully the Houstons will learn their lesson.