HOUSTON — As the Rockets were wrapping up practice on Monday at Toyota Center, you could hear the competitive back-and-forth of players going at each other. Although the precise words were inaudible from where the media was waiting for practice to conclude, you could feel the energy radiate to the area.
Once reporters were allowed in, it seemed as if the players had just finished playing someone other than their teammates. It was a passionate, competitive carryover from the way the Rockets finished Saturday’s fourth quarter in their 117-114 victory at Detroit.
“We competed today, so whenever we have competitive practices, it gets to be ugly,” said acting head coach John Lucas II. “But it is all love. That is the only way we can get better because we don’t have veteran players to help teach us. So, how do you win? Effort and energy. If we learn to play at that effort and energy all of the time, it helps us. We go to play hard. Playing hard makes up for lack of knowledge.”
The Rockets were without their three leading scorers, Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun, when they faced off against the Pistons. They were also missing their head coach, Stephen Silas, who was attending a memorial service for his father, Paul Silas.
“We competed today, so whenever we have competitive practices, it gets ugly,” said Rockets assistant coach about Monday’s practice. “But it’s all love.” #LightTheFuse #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/uJmrYEGGZB
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) January 30, 2023
After falling behind double digits on multiple occasions, Houston used the efforts of unsung heroes to get themselves back into the game before eventually securing their 12th win on the season.
“People,” Lucas said when asked how the Rockets (12-38) can duplicate their hustle and effort from Saturday. “We have to continue to have people play hard. It was a good win for us, and I think it will help the guys who have not been featured a lot this year.”
“KJ (Martin), Tari (Eason), (Daishen), Nix, you know they have been beaten up on, rather than praised. So hopefully, this gives them extra confidence. And Uz (Usman Garuba). What about Uz? Two threes (3-pointers) out of the corner, I went, ‘Oh no, oh no. Great shot, Uz.’ He hit two of those that kept us going.”
Silas is expected to be back on the bench for the Rockets when they host Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Houston is also expected to have Sengun (non-COVID illness) back, as well.
Coach Lucas could not confirm if Porter or Green would play, but he did say that their rehabilitation process is going very well.
“Alperen practiced today, he looks good, and he’s ready to go,” Lucas said at Monday’s practice. “Jalen is progressing nicely. We don’t know the time frame, but he’s doing well.”
