Pistons vs. Rockets Takeaways: Pieces Coming Together In Final Moments Of Season
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets began their final homestand of the season with a 121-115 win over the Detroit Pistons. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' victory inside the Toyota Center, which ended a seven-game losing skid.
Houston's starting backcourt shines together:
Pistons' coach Dwane Casey praised Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. during his pre-game media availability. Casey described Porter as a young and dynamic point guard, similar to Detroit's Jaden Ivey, while calling Green an excellent player for years to come.
Unfortunately for Casey, Green and Porter saved their best game of the season for the Pistons.
"This is our second year together," Porter said. "The longer we play together, the more deadly we can be. We have shown that multiple times this season for sure."
If not for the production of Green and Porter, the Rockets may not have had enough to prevent the Pistons from stealing a victory in Houston.
Porter scored a game-high 33 points on 12-for-20 shooting, 7-for-13 from behind the arc and four steals, achieving a feat that had not been done since James Harden. Green added 32 points (10-18 FG, 10-16 FT), which marked his fifth 30-plus performance over the past 15 games.
The pairing of Green and Porter was at its best during the third quarter, where they scored a combined 26 points. The momentum Green and Porter established was enough to help the Rockets overcome an eight-point deficit.
"They were playing off each other," coach Stephen Silas said. "They were getting downhill and drawing the second defender. We saw a lot less of them bouncing things out and more of them attacking and making reads."
Putting all the pieces together:
Green and Porter proved to be dominant in the Rockets' win over the Pistons. But Silas said Houston's overall performance was a testament to the team finally putting the pieces together.
"This is what it should look like," Silas said. "Offensively, this is ideal. The defense in the fourth quarter, where sometimes it gets a bit shakey for us, we buckled down, got the 50-50 balls and were on the defensive glass. We made it hard for Detroit tonight — and that's all we wanted to do."
The overall team's performance against the Pistons enamored Silas. Alperen Sengun added 15 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
Silas also credited the victory to Houston's reserve unit. Tari Eason came off the bench and recorded 10 rebounds. Boban Marjanović helped limit the Pistons' ability to score from the inside. His presence allowed the Rockets to play zone, which also helped Houston cut into Detroit's eight-point lead.
K.J. Martin plays through injury as Iron Man:
K.J. Martin began the day listed as questionable due to a left hip flexor strain. Martin played through the injury en route to his 78th game this season.
He finished with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the win. By playing through the injury, only he and Tari Eason are the only two Rockets who have appeared in every game.
Best performance:
Who else could share this honor outside Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. The pairing had arguably their best game since becoming teammates, with a combined 65 points and a positive 15 plus/minus rating.
Green's and Porter's play against the Pistons marked the third time they scored 30 or more in the same game.
Worst performance:
Everyone who stepped on the court for the Rockets left a positive impact. Usman Garuba made the smallest contribution but only played five minutes.
Final Words:
"It's uplifting, especially with the way we played. I thought we played solid much of the game. Detroit played a good game. We took their hits. And everybody contributed. I was happy for the group." — Stephen Silas
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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