Fred VanVleet leads the Rockets to their first sixth-straight victory since January 2021
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Antonio Kozlow
Antonio KozlowSports Editor
Antonio is a life long sports enthusiast and professional journalist, who shares an obssesive urge to find and dig up the most interesting facts to guide gamblers towards more exciting, yet safe bets. In his own words, ''you can never really know enough about the things you love''.
It seems like coach Ime Udoka was the perfect fit in Houston, as the team is currently playing their best basketball in years. The arrival of Fred VanVleet has also been significant and this Sunday night’s clash against the Nuggets was no exception. With 26 points to his name, the Rockets beat the reigning champions 107-104 to complete their sixth-straight win.
This is their longest-winning streak since January 2021, which also saw rising star Alperen Sengun add 23 to their lead. While Denver entered this match 8-1, which has been their best start in 5 years, the Texan franchise improved to 6-3.
Nikola Jokic, on the other hand, produced his fourth triple-double of the campaign, recording 36 points, 21 rebounds and 11 assists. Even though he hit a three-pointer with 19 seconds to the clock, Houston were simply better overall.
“We’re getting better,” VanVleet shared. “We can feel the trend trending upward, we’re trying to get more things done that the coaches are asking us to do, and we’re executing at a higher and higher level each time out.”
Fred VanVleet talking about Alperen Sengun's defense on Nikola Jokic:
"We asked him to do a lot defensively. He held him to uh… 36… 21… 11." 😭😂
Coach Udoka also praised veteran Jeff Green for hitting a crucial three-pointer in the final minutes and scoring 15 points off the bench this Sunday.
“He obviously made big shots and was attacking the basket,” said the new Rockets trainer. “But also, all week, he had a ton of advice and experience, and he was out there being the quarterback on defense, calling out their sets and what they were getting into. He had that familiarity with the team and obviously that was helpful, but it was great to see him come through down the stretch, finish the game and make some big shots. I’m happy for him.”
Incredibly, the current champions were up front at the start of the fourth quarter with a 76-74 lead, but Sengun shot 9 of 18 from the field and added 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
“I think it’s a good thing that they’re playing more through him,” Jokic recognized Sengun’s performance. “I think it’s going to benefit their whole organization. He’s a guy who is not selfish, he wants to play for the team, he wants to pass, and the whole team is going to move when the ball is in his hands. He played really good today.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone insists they must be patient with four young players who came off the bench and underperformed
After Jokic‘s offensive display, came Michael Porter Jr. with 25 points, Aaron Gordon’s 16 and Reggie Jackson, who added 14. However, the young core didn’t produced what was expected coming off the bench.
“The greatest challenge that we have is we’re trying to compete for a championship but also develop four young players off the bench,” explained Denver coach Mike Malone. “That is insanely hard because young players are going to have nights like tonight, and you have to continue to support them and help them in any way that you can, and that’s what we’re going to do. We know these guys are capable.”
The Rockets have beaten the Nuggets in their last two appearances, and coach Udoka is convinced that these kinds of games give the team the experience they need to make it to the playoffs and beyond.
“It gives us another feather in our cap,” he expressed. “It gives us experience with late-game execution and getting the shots we want and defending. I’m happy with how we finished. They did hit some tough shots, but that’s expected from a championship-caliber team.”
