The Houston Rockets are well aware of the value that veteran guard Fred VanVleet brings to the team, particularly his scoring ability and efficient ball distribution with minimal turnovers.
When VanVleet is unavailable, the Rockets remain a work in progress. However, they took a significant step forward on Sunday, even without VanVleet due to a knee injury, securing a 117-106 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Rockets could see their reliable veteran return on Wednesday, as VanVleet told The Houston Chronicle that he is ready to play in the team’s NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup against the visiting Golden State Warriors.
VanVleet averages 16 points per game, ranking third on the team, and leads the Rockets with 5.9 assists while committing just 1.2 turnovers.
In the game against the Clippers, the Rockets ran their offense through Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, and VanVleet’s replacement, Amen Thompson. The strategy paid off, with Sengun and Thompson combining for 10 assists, while Green led all scorers with 31 points. Despite VanVleet’s absence, Houston found a way to secure the victory.
Houston will need all the positive momentum it can muster against the Warriors, who have won 15 consecutive games in the series, including a 99-93 win last Thursday in San Francisco.
The Rockets trailed by 31 points in the first half of their first meeting this season but rallied to force overtime before falling 127-121 at home on November 2.
Wednesday’s winner will advance to face either Dallas or Oklahoma City in the NBA Cup semifinals on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry for both of the teams’ prior meetings this season, and Draymond Green (left calf) was sidelined in last week’s victory.
Both Curry and Green returned and played pivotal roles in a 114-106 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Curry tallied a game-high 30 points with eight assists, while Green contributed six points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
The Rockets and Warriors have had memorable postseason battles in the past decade, with Golden State eliminating Houston in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. The Warriors’ victories in 2015 and 2018 sent them to the NBA Finals.
While the NBA Cup might not match the intensity of those playoff matchups, the energy on Wednesday will certainly be higher than a typical regular-season game.
