Rookie Roundup: Houston Rocket Newbies Ignite in 29-Point Win
Something was in the NBA rookies water Friday night, as frosh after frosh saw career-esque nights for their respective teams.
Here were some of the top rookie performances from Friday night's NBA slate:
The 7-Footers
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren — two titanic 7-footers who have been locked in a heated Rookie of the Year race — both had solid games Friday night.
Wembanyama scored 16 points on 50% shooting, grabbing 14 boards, dishing seven assists and blocking three shots in a one-point loss.
Holmgren wasn’t quite as flashy — 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal — but managed his production in just 23 minutes and a 20-point blowout win over Charlotte.
Houston Rockets Duo
Houston got incredible production off the bench from its two top picks in 2023: Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.
Whitmore has looked the part of a star recently, and in Friday’s win poured on 25 points on 10-for-17 shooting, grabbing six boards and two steals to boot.
Thompson hasn’t gotten off to a necessarily hot start, but still has as high a ceiling as near anyone in the NBA. Friday he displayed that, adding 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in just 24 minutes. He finished with a team-high +27 plus-minus.
Brandon Miller Goes Berserk
On the flip-side of Holmgren’s performance was Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, who despite the loss continued his hot scoring streak.
In 32 minutes, the forward poured on 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting, hitting a blistering five of his eight 3-pointers. He also added four assists, three steals and two blocks.
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