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[Houston Rockets]

Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies game preview

After a quick return home, the Houston Rockets go back on the road for another Southwest Division matchup.

The Memphis Grizzlies started 3-2 with losses to the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors. “That’s fine,” you’d think, but it’s been downhill from there. They’ve dropped their last three games and are dealing with the newest episode in the Ja Morant saga.

After being confronted by head coach Tuomas Iisalo after their loss to the Lakers, Morant pouted after the game and responded to reporters’ questions in a manner that the Grizzlies did not appreciate. Thus, he was suspended for their loss Sunday in Toronto. As a side note, the team went to Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night, but Morant was not there. Finally, Morant returned on Monday for the home loss to the Pistons, but he didn’t seem to be over the suspension based on his tone and comments. Obviously, this has created mass speculation on Morant’s future with the Grizzlies. However, it’s too early to go there and Memphis would be stupid to trade Morant at the moment with his value being so low.

Memphis is also decimated by injuries and are having their depth tested. Trading Desmond Bane and letting Luke Kennard walk were probably great moves for the future, but right now the Grizzlies are just hoping to tread water until they can get reinforcements. Jaren Jackson Jr. is still a solid big man and Cedric Coward, one of my draft crushes, has been playing really well early on.

This game won’t feature the fun of the Dillon Brooks revenge matchups we grew accustomed to seeing, but Jock Landale is here!

Tip-off​

7pm CT

How To Watch​

Sports City Home Network

Injury Report​

Rockets​

Jabari Smith Jr.: GTD (ankle)

Steven Adams: GTD (hip)

Dorian Finney-Smith: OUT (ankle)

Grizzlies​

Zach Edey: OUT

Ty Jerome: OUT

Brandon Clarke: OUT

Scottie Pippin Jr.: OUT

The Line (as of this post)​

Hou -6.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can​

Friday night at San Antonio Spurs for the Falcon

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...ton-rockets-vs-memphis-grizzlies-game-preview

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets double-big lineup remains one of their top weapons

Going into the season, fans and media alike wondered how Houston’s offense would perform with the addition of Kevin Durant and the loss of Fred VanVleet. However, despite the loss of Fred VanVleet and the task of integrating new players into the lineups, Houston has the best offensive rating at 123.2, according to NBA.com. So what gives? How has Houston gone from a middling offense to one of the best in the NBA? The answer is two words: double big.

After the acquisition of a healthy Steven Adams, not many initially expected coach Ime Udoka to try running both Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams together. But by late in the year last season, leaning into the high offensive rebounding rate of such Sengun-Adams lineups helped the Rockets finish the 2024–25 season strong.

It was believed that Houston’s 2025–26 offense would appear a little more conventional after adding Durant in the 2025 summer. However, VanVleet’s injury in September altered the strategy, and the Sengun-Adams combination is once again overcoming those seeming obstacles. Enter Steven Adams and the double big lineup.

The double big lineup provides Houston with rim protection, size, and rebounding power, and causes mismatches by making opponents contend with greater length and interior presence. As a result, the Rockets are in a better position to grab offensive rebounds when two big men are crammed into the glass, and so far this season, Houston’s offensive rebounding percentage is best in the NBA at 42.1% according to NBA.com. This means that on almost every one of two missed baskets, the Rockets get a second chance at an offensive possession, turning an otherwise empty trip down the court into a potential scoring play.

The double big lineup has advantages on the defensive side as well, as the additional size aids in rim protection, shot modification, and drive deterrence, and provides mismatches elsewhere as the Rockets’ wings or forwards can take advantage of smaller defenders when opponents switch on these bigs with smaller lineups or guards. For instance, wings like Jabari Smith Jr. are exploiting smaller players, the same with Alperen Şengün playing at power forward.

However, no matter the benifets, the double big lineup is not without its weaknesses. To start, because there are typically fewer natural shooters on the court when there are two bigs, opposition defenses run the risk of sagging inside or contesting mid-range more successfully. Additonally, ultra-small, quick lineups that drive, make threes, space the floor, and push the tempo can be difficult for larger lineups to match. The Rockets must make sure that their guards and wings are able to cover ground, and if the perimeter isn’t well guarded, the double large may be exposed against teams that have several outstanding shooters or speedy guards. The double big lineup is best used in small spurts or depending on other teams personel.

You can catch the Houston Rockets tonight as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis at 7:00 central on Space City Home Network, or NBA Leauge Pass.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...ckets-secret-weapon-steven-adams-kevin-durant

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets Rattle Past Grizzles 124-109

That makes five wins in a row after the two losses to start the season. Perhaps the Rockets weren’t doomed after all? In any case, in a game where Kevin Durant shot poorly, and Alperen Sengun merely had a good game, the Rockets won comfortably.

Amen Thompson was great. Tari Eason continues to make nearly every three pointer from the corners. Reed Sheppard seems to gradually spend more time looking like an NBA player and less like a rookie point guard. Tonight Reed’s 12 points were more than any individual starting for for Memphis aside from Ja Morant, and Morant did some significant fourth quarter padding, and played exactly twice as many minutes. Morant inevitably called up Sheppard in the pick and roll when he was in the game, but it didn’t all go Ja’s way. Far from it, at one such drive Sheppard picked him and went for a layup, for example. It’s always worth having a bit of patience with young players.

Jabari Smith feels like a player who is coming into his own, and could probably score a lot more, with more looks.

What the Rockets showed tonight, against a Memphis team that might be disgruntled, finding its way, or some combination of the two, was that there’s simply no respite for opponents when they play the Rockets.

The Rockets don’t exactly work like a great team, but right now they’re winning like one. Granted, the opposition hasn’t been world beaters since game one, but the opposition has hardly seemed to have much of a chance at winning, either. The Rockets grind opponents down in ways that are hard to specify as “Something Great Teams Do” but work well nonetheless. One is the offensive rebounding. Steven Adams wasn’t available for yet another game of revenge against Memphis tonight. It didn’t matter. For example, Clint Capela, who seems to have lost his ability to jump from standing, but still can block shots even so, and remains a very good rebounder, especially on the offensive boards, is difficult to deal with as a 3rd center.

Overall, the offensive rebounding of the Rockets is just a brutal thing for a defense to battle. That is to say, if the defense has played well, collapsed on Durant, made it tough for Sengun to pass, well, too bad, there’s Amen Thompson, waiting to clean up an offensive board, and tip in gently into the basket.

Thompson had a great night of this, and overall play. He went 28/10/7/2/0 with only two turnovers. He played 39 minutes, but some of the longer minutes had more to do with Memphis refusing to wave the white flag and pull the starters when it seemed evident there was no comeback for the Grizzlies in sight.

There are things to be said about the Rockets not-especially pretty offense. Things in its favor. One is, it might well hold up in the playoffs, where an offense has to be almost Platonically perfect to survive the grinder. The Rockets are in no danger of such glossy perfection. Two is, the Rockets look clunky, on offense especially, but also defense. They’re only going to get better, and their net rating margin is now the best in the NBA, above OKC, at 12.3.

They didn’t even do it with a free throw edge tonight. Memphis nearly doubled the Rockets up on free throws by falling down and grabbing their faces a lot, it seemed at times. It didn’t matter. Memphis went on runs at the beginning of quarters, but could never close the Rockets down.

This is a nice run, but a sterner test awaits Friday, as the Rockets battle the Spurs in the opening round of the NBA Cup, and try to win The Falcon.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/general/36608/rockets-rattle-past-grizzles-124-109

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets To Battle Grizzlies

Return of Jabs

Houston Rockets vs Memphis Grizzlies​

November 5, 2025​

Location: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

TV: Space City Home Network

Online: Rockets App

Gametime: 7pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups​

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Possums: Ja Morant, Kentavious Caldwell-Pontifex, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Juniper Jumping Jackson Junior, Jock Landale

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-game-threads/36605/rockets-to-battle-grizzlies

 

[Houston Rockets]

Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs game preview

Tonight begins another journey in hopes of winning the NBA Cup for the Houston Rockets.

There were obviously several moments last year where Houston announced to the league that they were done being bad. The first of those was winning their NBA Cup group. With their win on the neon green court in Minnesota, Houston wrapped up the group with a game to spare. They had to sweat out the results on the final day because the Sacramento Kings made 15 straight shots, but Houston was able to secure a home game in the knockout stages, which allowed them to finally knock the Golden State Warriors off for the first time in four years. Even with a loss in the semifinals to the Thunder, it was a big moment for the Rockets and their young players who had not played in meaningful games during their early NBA careers.

Which brings us to the San Antonio Spurs. If there is a team this year that could mimic the success of last season’s Rockets, it’s this one. Houston didn’t have Victor Wembanyama (the MVP and DPOY if the season ended today) or the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle. De’Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet are game-time decisions but every Rockets fans reading this is nodding solemnly as I say that at least one, if not both, will definitely be available for tonight’s game. Dylan Harper is out, which is a shame because he’d been playing so well. Thankfully he avoided major damage and will be back this season.

One interesting note for tonight will be to see how the Rockets defend Wembanyama. Ime Udoka’s go-to last season was to put Dillon Brooks on him try to keep Wemby outside the lane while letting the big men patrol the paint. Will the Rockets go with a similar strategy tonight with Josh Okogie? Will they put Jabari Smith Jr. on him? Or will they have Alperen Sengun try to stay connected?

The rest of this NBA Cup group is rough. They include Portland (1-0 in group play), Denver (0-1), and Golden State (0-0). It seems unlikely that any of these teams will go 4-0, and it feels more likely that they could all go 2-2. Remember that the tiebreaker is point differential, so if this game is a blowout there’s still reason for both teams to play hard until the final whistle.

Tip-off​

6:30pm CT

How To Watch​

Amazon Prime

Injury Report​

Rockets​

Steven Adams: GTD (hip)

Dorian Finney-Smith: OUT (ankle)

Spurs​

Luke Kornet: GTD

De’Aaron Fox: GTD

Dylan Harper: OUT

The Line (as of this post)​

Hou -2.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can​

Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee against the Bucks

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...ton-rockets-vs-san-antonio-spurs-game-preview

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets continue rivalry with Spurs

Houston Rockets vs San Antonio Spurs​

November 7, 2025​

Location: Frost Bank Arena – San Antonio, Texas

TV: Amazon Prime

Online: Rockets App

Gametime: 630pm CST

Probable Starting Lineups​

Rockets: Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun

Spurs: Jordan McLaughlin, Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Devin Vassell, Victor Wembenyama

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...ckets-continue-rivalry-with-san-antonio-spurs

 

[Houston Rockets]

Destroying an absolutely inaccurate depiction of Amen Thompson

Amen Thompson has undeniably established himself as a two-way force in less than three full seasons with the Houston Rockets. The scouting report on him in 2023 was that he’d be a project — a label that seemed fair at the time for a player who skipped college and the international circuit for the Overtime Elite, a league that pales in comparison to both.

Even the G-League would’ve been more competitive (as long as it’s not the G-League Ignite, which was clearly not a good program).

Thompson was immediately moved to the wing, allowing him to take advantage of his freak athleticism and putting him closer to the basket and away from the perimeter.

Defensively, he proved capable of manning the fort against…..virtually anyone. And any position.

This season, when Fred VanVleet went down for the year with his ACL injury, Thompson figured to take on the lion share of the Rockets’ point guard duties, although it was clear that Rockets coach Ime Udoka was going to employ the committee approach, which has been effective, as the Rockets have the league’s top-ranked offensive attack (even if people do think that’ll eventually change).

Yet and still, Thompson has taken on a bigger role. His usage rate is up to 23.3 percent this season, whereas last year it was 17.5 percent.

His scoring is also up, to the tune of 18.6 points on 14.9 shots, while he’s also averaging 50 percent from the field, 6.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, one steal and .3 blocks per contest.

He’s been sensational of late, dropping 28 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, in addition to 10 rebounds (four offensive), seven assists, and two steals.

In the previous game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson was too much for the Mavs, dropping 27 points (which helped offset an unusually off night for Kevin Durant), five rebounds, four assists, and two stocks.

He was also efficient in that game, with marks of 64 percent true shooting.

It’s pretty easy to see that Thompson is morphing into a star. Even ESPN’s Kevin Pelton has him tabbed to make his All-Star debut this season (although it’s too early to start putting together All-Star teams).

At least, if you’re actually watching the Rockets.

Clearly, not everyone is watching.

I stumbled upon a piece from FanSided’s Julian Fadullon and was left….speechless.

The NBA writer was concocting his prediction for Most Improved Player and was making an argument that Thompson (and his brother Ausar) won’t be in consideration for the award.

Which is fine.

However, he took things a bit too far. Take a look for yourself.

“Amen does not look like he’s ready to take the leap just yet, even with Fred VanVleet out for the season.”

Doesn’t look like he’s ready to take a leap? Has he not already done that (thus far)?

Even if one wanted to state that it’s too early to note whether he’s ready, that would’ve been a better argument. But he does *look* like he’s ready to ascend.

ESPECIALLY without VanVleet.

His rim pressure has been astounding. Dude is shooting 81 percent at the rim (yes, you read that right).

And he’s more than just a freak athlete. He has freakish body control and he’s driving with confidence.

His archetype is that of a two-way slashing playmaker, which encompasses several.

It feels bad to tear down a fellow content creator, but if it’s warranted (like in this case), there’s really no other choice.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...olutely-inaccurate-depiction-of-amen-thompson

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets win fourth in a row, down Mavs 110-102

The Houston Rockets won their fourth game in a row on Monday night, getting 27 big points from Amen Thompson to lead the way at the Toyota Center. Thompson also had 5 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and a block, while shooting 11-for-18 from the field and 1-for-3 from deep. The block was a huge one down the stretch on a three-point attempt by Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg that helped to seal the game.

Alperen Sengun also had a big night, going for 26 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, while shooting 10-for-20 from the floor. He hit a spinning shot with 90 seconds left that helped the Rockets close out Dallas.

Kevin Durant addded 21 points, but he shot just 6-for-18 from the floor and 2-for-8 from three, but the Thompson-Durant-Sengun trio still combined for 74 total points for the Rockets.

Jabari Smith Jr. sat this one out with an ankle injury, and Tari Eason scored 15 points while getting the nod as a starter, while Steven Adams and Clint Capela combined for 17 rebounds and 4 blocked shots off of the bench for the Rockets.

The Mavs got 29 points and 12 rebounds from P.J. Washington, 17 from Max Christie, 14 from Daniel Gafford and 12 from Flagg to lead the way. This group started out strong, holding a slim lead over the Rockets in the first, before falling behind in a close game. The Mavs would tie it at 99 with four minutes left before the Rockets stepped on the gas one final time to close the game out.

Houston now moves to 4-2 on the season. It wasn’t the prettiest of games for the Rockets, but they got the job done while missing another starter in Smith and with Durant far from his best. Houston returns to action Wednesday night on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...llas-mavs-110-102-kevin-durant-alperen-sengun