After uncommon highway slip-up, Rockets attempt to regain type vs. Blazers

The Houston Rockets will seek to start a new road winning streak when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Houston won seven straight in visiting venues before succumbing 132-127 to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

It also was the end of a five-game overall winning streak for the Rockets.

Houston didn’t do enough to keep either streak intact in the eyes of coach Ime Udoka.

“We were pretty sloppy offensively, just some unforced turnovers, and then defensively too many mistakes,” Udoka said. “So to be back in the game and give ourselves a chance at the end is a good thing to me with how poorly we played overall.

“We kept fighting, got back in the game, and just too many mistakes when we had chances. I don’t know if we deserved to win this game.”

Rockets star Jalen Green continued his strong month with 28 points and four made 3-pointers. Green is averaging 30.3 points and 4.5 3-pointers (36 total) in January.

Alperen Sengun (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Amen Thompson (20 points, 10 rebounds) each had double-doubles for Houston.

The Rockets also received 16 points from reserve Tari Eason, who had missed the previous 13 contests due to a leg injury. Eason played 24 minutes.

“Basketball is really one of the only things I love, besides my family, and stepping away from the game is incredibly hard for me,” Eason said of his return. “Obviously we lost, and I’m upset about that, but I’m incredibly just grateful to be back on the floor.”

Fred VanVleet (personal reasons) missed the game in Sacramento but will be back in action against Portland.

The teams split a back-to-back in Houston earlier this season. Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 28 points and Eason added 22 as the Rockets rolled to a 116-88 victory over Portland on Nov. 22. The next night, the Trail Blazers posted a 104-98 win behind 25 points from Anfernee Simons.

Simons will be looking to bounce back Saturday after going scoreless in 30 minutes during Thursday’s 118-89 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Simons was 0-for-9 from the field, including five 3-point misses.

“It just looked like a rough night,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said of Simons’ shooting woes. “They do have a really good defense. They key on him a lot. I didn’t think they were overly aggressive on him. Their defense, they make you take a lot of tough shots. And he could never really get away from them. … It was just a rough night at the offense, which all players have them.”

Portland has experienced a lot of tough nights this season and has lost four consecutive games, the last three coming at home.

Prior to the 29-point margin of defeat against the Clippers, the Trail Blazers lost 119-98 to the Miami Heat last Saturday and 132-114 to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

Portland never led against Los Angeles and trailed by as many as 34 points.

Dalano Banton led the Trail Blazers with 23 points off the bench. The output tied his season high.

“Dalano played with that force offensively that he usually does,” Billups said. “We needed it in a major way. By that point of the game, it was out of reach.”

Portland’s Deni Avdija (sprained right ankle) is doubtful after missing the past two games.

–Field Level Media