It seems counterintuitive to expect the Houston Rockets to thrive offensively when Fred VanVleet, their third-leading scorer, takes only two shots and scores just two points, as he did on Friday.
In their 116-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers—the first of back-to-back games, with the second set for Saturday in Houston—the Rockets demonstrated their impressive depth. Houston shot 49.3 percent over the first three quarters, including 41.4 percent from three-point range, all with VanVleet scoring only from the free-throw line.
Houston’s victory was powered by Dillon Brooks’ season-high 28 points and a 22-point performance from Tari Eason off the bench. Jalen Green (17 points), Alperen Sengun (14), and Amen Thompson (10) also scored in double figures for the Rockets, who had assisted on 21 of 34 field goals entering the final period.
The result wasn’t surprising, given that seven Rockets players average double figures in scoring. Green leads with 19.2 points per game, followed closely by Sengun at 18.1 and VanVleet at 14.9. Brooks, Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., and Thompson round out the double-figure scorers.
VanVleet contributed a game-high eight assists in the win over Portland, demonstrating the team’s shared approach and resilience in not missing his scoring.
Portland, missing Deandre Ayton (finger) and Scoot Henderson (thigh), struggled to get its offense going. The Trail Blazers shot 33 percent, missed 32 of 43 three-point attempts, and didn’t have a double-digit scorer until Shaedon Sharpe hit two free throws at the 7:34 mark of the third quarter.
By then, the Blazers trailed by 25 points, 79-54. Sharpe and Deni Avdija each scored 13 to lead Portland.
This marked Portland’s fifth consecutive loss by a double-digit margin. Facing the Rockets again just 24 hours later doesn’t give the Blazers much time to regroup and recover.
