The Houston Rockets made it seven wins in a row by taking down the Phoenix Suns 119-105 at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Tuesday. The Rockets also swept the season series 4-0 in the process, but it sure didn’t look like they were going to be the victors, with how this game started.
The Suns went on a stunning 24-0 run in the first quarter to take a 21-point lead, and you’d have bet on them cruising to victory at that point. The Rockets, to their credit, didn’t wave the white flag and trimmed that lead down to 57-54 at the break.
The two teams then exchanged blows in the third quarter, but it was all Rockets in the fourth after that. The visitors won the quarter 38-21 to pull away from the hosts and have now improved to 50-29 on the season. Here’s a look at who impressed for the Rockets on the night.
Amen Thompson: A+
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TOV, 10-16 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, 36 MIN
Amen Thompson is far from the finished product, and it’s scary how he can still take over games the way he did here. Thompson was brilliant in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 6-7 shooting from the field. He nearly finished with a triple-double and had his fingerprints all over this game.
Dominance on the glass was a big reason why the Rockets got the win here, as they hauled in 24 offensive rebounds. Thompson had six of those and was excellent defensively as well. If he plays anywhere near as well as he did here in the playoffs, the Rockets are going to go on a deep run.
Kevin Durant: B+
Game Stats: 24 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 TOV, 8-20 FG, 5-9 3PT, 3-3 FT, 36 MIN
This was Kevin Durant’s first game back in Phoenix since the Suns traded him to the Rockets last offseason, and it was looking like a night to forget for him. Durant started the game 1-7 from the field, but Dillon Brooks then woke him up with some trash talk. He’d make his next three shots and ended up having a pretty good game.
Durant and the Suns did not part ways on good terms, and that meant there was tension in the air on the night. Coming away with the win in this manner would have greatly delighted the future Hall of Famer.
Tari Eason: B+
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL, 1 TOV, 5-7 FG, 0-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 31 MIN
Tari Eason’s stats do not jump off the screen, but he did all the little things well here against the Suns. Eason crashed the offensive glass to get most of his points and did a terrific job of guarding Jalen Green, who ended up with 15 points on 5-14 shooting from the field. He’d finish with a game-high plus-minus of +29 in his 31 minutes.
Jabari Smith Jr.: B
Game Stats: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 6-18 FG, 5-13 3PT, 3-3 FT, 39 MIN
Jabari Smith Jr. recorded his second-straight 20-point game here. Smith did most of his damage from beyond the arc, and the threes have been falling for him lately. He’s now shooting 45.2% from deep over his last five games, and the Rockets will be hoping he keeps this up in the playoffs.
Smith also played his part in the Rockets’ domination on the glass, but he wasn’t as impactful on the boards as the man who comes next.
Alperen Sengun: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST, 6 TOV, 5-15 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, 28 MIN
Alperen Sengun had a mixed night against the Suns. Sengun was inefficient from the field, turned the ball over a lot, and also found himself in foul trouble. All of this would usually merit a D grade, but he did a lot right, too.
Sengun crushed the Suns on the glass. He had seven offensive rebounds, and they just couldn’t contain him. Sengun also made shots when it mattered most. He had six points on 3-4 shooting from the field in the fourth quarter.
Reed Sheppard: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 5-9 FG, 2-6 3PT, 21 MIN
Reed Sheppard had a solid outing here as the Rockets improved to 16-4 when he starts. Sheppard was efficient, and it sums up the night for the Suns that even he gets an offensive rebound.
Interestingly, Sheppard didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter. Head coach Ime Udoka opted to go for Aaron Holiday instead, and with how the Rockets dominated in the period, he can’t complain.
Aaron Holiday: B
Game Stats: 12 PTS, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 4-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 21 MIN
Holiday played the entire fourth quarter and helped the Rockets shut down the Suns in the period. He always provides value with his defense, and the shots were going in here as well. Udoka has gotten some stick at times for opting to play Holiday over Sheppard, but he made the right call here.
Jae’Sean Tate: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 1 TOV, 1-1 FG, 7 MIN
Jae’Sean Tate’s most notable contribution of the night ended up being stepping over Brooks after committing a foul in the second quarter, which earned him a technical. Tate also dished out three assists and got his only points of the night on a putback after another Rockets offensive rebound.
Clint Capela: C
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 1-5 FG, 10 MIN
Clint Capela was quite ineffective offensively in his brief time on the court as he missed some fairly easy shots around the rim. Capela wasn’t as dominant as a glass as you’d have imagined, either, and it was no surprise that he didn’t play in the fourth.
Josh Okogie: C
Game Stats: 1 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT, 12 MIN
Josh Okogie was another who didn’t give the Rockets much offensively, but that was to be expected. Okogie did grab a couple of offensive rebounds at least to help out on that end.
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