Rockets Stampede Bulls 143-107 And Ime Udoka smiles in the game

This one will be short because the Rockets took care of business in Chicago in a big way tonight, 143-107.

The game started fairly evenly, with neither team looking better in the first quarter. The Rockets managed to win it 27-26 and maybe it could have been more if the Rockets had made some bunnies at the basket and made more free throws as well. The Chicago offense operated successfully against the Rockets, giving up a lot of open looks.

What we saw that looked good at the beginning of the game was that all of the Rockets starters had a decent offensive night. Especially Fred VanVleet. It would only get better.

The Rockets’ lead ballooned late in the 2nd quarter when, instead of closing out a quarter or especially a half, the Rockets pulled away. It wasn’t the Terror Twins who did it either. Both Amen Thompson and Tari Eason were called for fouls for what looked like legitimate defenses rather than fouls. They didn’t play as much or do as much as one would hope.

But Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. began to break the game open late in the 2nd quarter. Especially VanVleet, who would finish the night with 28pts/7rbs/7ast/1stl against 1 TO on 10-16 shooting and 3-6 from three. The Bulls didn’t close the paint and Fred strolled in to score often and made his three pointers. The half ended with the Rockets up 68-52.

Would there be a third-quarter collapse that let the Bulls back into the game? Quite the opposite. The Rockets started the second half scoring 9 straight and the run was on from there.

The late third quarter and all of the fourth was garbage time, and pretty much every Rocket played. The Rockets had 108 points at the end of the third quarter, with the starters playing their regular shifts, but nothing in the 4th. The Bulls had only scored 78 points in the 4th.

The fourth quarter was garbage time, with rookie Reed Sheppard launching and making four three pointers. That saw Jack McVeigh finally make a shot (but not a three, it was way off). That saw every Rocket on the bench play at least five minutes, except for Cam Whitmore, recently promoted from the Rio Grande Vipers, who played zero minutes despite being available.

Maybe it was preordained with the Rockets playing down the road against the Bucks in Milwaukee tomorrow night? We will see.

In any case, the end of the game was a stroll for the Rockets, and Ime Udoka seemed to spend it smiling and laughing. We now know what will make it happen. A complete blowout.

A few notes.

• Alpine Sengun recorded his second triple double in a row and the highest +/- score, apparently of two back to back triple doubles of +70 for the Clippers and Bulls games. He had 20pts/11rbs/11ast/2blk on 9-16 shooting.
• Dillon Brooks had a good night on both ends of the court, going for 15pts/3rbs/2ast/2stl on 7-13 shooting.
• Jabari Smith Jr. went 4-8 with 8 rbs and an assist.
• Jalen Green played quite a bit with the second unit and Reed Sheppard, who is still a work in progress. He offered 18 points on 6-9 shooting, 4rbs, 1ast, 1stl.
• No Rocket starter played more than 28 minutes tonight.
• Tari Eason was hampered by foul trouble and would shoot it when he touched it.
• Amen Thompson had a good night at 16pts/11rbs/5ast/1 (vicious) blk in 22 minutes.
• Reed finally shot the three tonight, scoring 12 on 4-5 shooting from 3. He attempted a massive dunk on a breakaway but couldn’t quite pull it off. Still, he let it fly and it went in, which is a good sign.

The Rockets play again tomorrow, Bucks. If they can do the same to Milwaukee, maybe the Bucks could pay five coaches at once? We can dream.