The Rockets beat the Pelicans with 2 points. 5 surprises. The new 5 starters are surprising. Uduka is in stock.

In the NBA preseason, the Rockets had a fierce battle with the Pelicans away from home, switching back and forth between offense and defense for four quarters. Finally, relying on Holiday's buzzer-beater, they narrowly defeated their opponent 130-128, extending their preseason winning streak to three games. In this game, the Rockets completely defeated the Sunspots. After beating the Pelicans with 2 points, there were 5 big surprises. The new top five starters were surprising. Udoka did have the goods.

First, the game situation, the two teams were inextricably tied, and the Rockets won with a decisive victory.

At the beginning of the game, the Rockets sent out a five-strong lineup of Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, Durant, Shen Jing and Adams, and the results were good. It's like the Rockets are on a roll. Shen Jing took the lead with a dunk, and Jabari Smith Jr. hit consecutive three-pointers and an alley-oop dunk, leading the team to a dream start of 12-3. In this quarter, he scored 11 points alone, and he was the core of the offense. But at the end of this quarter, the Rockets began to lose their temper, making 4 consecutive turnovers, and Durant also felt cold and made 0 of 4 shots. The Pelicans would not miss this opportunity. Zion and Bay rushed and fought inside, while Poole and Murphy III fired on the outside. A wave of counterattacks led to a 28-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.

As soon as the second quarter started, the Rockets adjusted their status and started with a 12-2 offensive, regaining the initiative. Substitute player Ethan stormed inside and scored 11 points in a row, becoming the key firepower on the bench. In the middle of this quarter, Amen Thompson and Alvarado had a conflict over grabbing rebounds. Amen received a first-level flagrant foul and Alvarado received a technical foul. However, this conflict did not disrupt the Rockets' rhythm. Durant gradually found the feeling, hitting mid-range shots and 2+1s one after another, and also hit a buzzer-beating jumper. At halftime, the Rockets entered the break with a 1-point advantage at 60-59. Four players had already scored in double figures.

The third quarter became the "harvest moment" for the Rockets, with Smith and Amen completely breaking out. Smith hit consecutive three-pointers, Amen responded with dunks, and the two teamed up to set off a wave of offense. The Rockets shot more than 50% from the field and made 12 of 12 free throws. In a single quarter, the score was 42-29, and the point difference once widened to 15 points. After three quarters, the Rockets led 102-88 by 14 points. Smith scored more than 26 points and Amen also exceeded 20 points.

In the last quarter, the Pelicans launched a crazy counterattack. Zion caused damage inside, while Poole and Murphy III continued to fire from the outside. They hit a 38-26 counterattack climax in a single quarter and successfully tied the score at 128 before the end. At the critical moment, Holiday of the Rockets stood up and faced the defense and completed a sure-shot throw with only 1.8 seconds left in the game. The Pelicans' Phils failed to hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the last minute. In the end, the Rockets narrowly defeated 130-128 and secured their third consecutive preseason victory.

Second, comparison of the statistics of the two teams: the Rockets team has the advantage, and the Pelicans have bright spots in their internal counterattack.

From a data point of view, the Rockets showed stronger teamwork and rebounding control capabilities with their advantages of 50 rebounds and 26 assists. He made 11 three-pointers and his 30% three-point shooting rate was slightly better than the Pelicans' 9 shots and 23% shooting rate. The team shot 47% from the field, 24 of 27 free throws (90% shooting rate), and the offensive and defensive efficiency was online. However, there were also 17 mistakes, which must be improved in subsequent games.

The Pelicans had the upper hand in steals (11 times), second-chance points (19 points), and penalty area points (74 points). They had outstanding interior impact and defensive counterattack capabilities. They made 23 of 25 free throws (92% shooting rate), showing excellent stability.

Third, player performance: Many people in the Rockets excelled, and the Pelicans were proud of their defeat.

For the Rockets, Jabari Smith Jr. has become the absolute core. He played 22 minutes and efficiently scored 26 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block, with a plus-minus value of +23. Amen Thompson also performed well, contributing 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists on 5 of 8 shots in 24 minutes. He was the source of vitality for the team's offensive end. Durant played 28 minutes and 2 seconds, scoring 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block, providing the team with experience and scoring guarantee.

Inside player Shen Jing became the team's inside hub with a near-triple-double performance of 8 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. On the bench, Ethan scored 20 points. Sheppard made 4 of 8 shots and scored 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in 18 minutes, providing the team with stable bench firepower.

Although the Pelicans ultimately lost, many players performed admirably. Fels played 22 minutes and 4 seconds, contributing 20 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. He was a key figure on the team's offensive end. Bay scored 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. Zion scored 13 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals, showing his comprehensive ability. Missy had a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks, and performed well in rebound protection and interior defense.

Fourth, the Rockets have five major surprises in this game:

First, the Rockets' offensive firepower continues, and high scores are the norm. The Rockets continued their offensive momentum from the previous game, scoring 130 points in this game, showing a mature and diverse offensive system. Whether it's the attack of starters Smith and Thompson, Durant's experience output, or the firepower added by substitutes Ethan and Shepard, the team always maintains a sense of oppression on the scoring end. This sustained high-scoring performance has given the team a boost in offensive competitiveness in the new season.

Second, Jabari Smith finally broke out. In this game, Jabari Smith Jr. completely unleashed his offensive talent, scoring 26 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block in 22 minutes, with a plus-minus value of +23. He is rich in scoring methods and is proficient in three-pointers, breakthroughs, and mid-range jumpers. He was the absolute core in the offensive climax of the third quarter, and finally produced the star-level performance that fans expected..

Third, Amen Thompson has full offensive and defensive stability. Amen Thompson showed his offensive and defensive characteristics as always. He made 5 of 8 shots and contributed 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 24 minutes. On the offensive end, his breakthroughs are extremely lethal and he can always tear apart the opponent's defense; on the defensive end, he can also use his excellent mobility and awareness to complete interference. This stable performance makes him a key link in the Rockets' offensive and defensive transitions.

Fourthly, Ethan was on full fire on the bench. Substitute player Ethan had a big explosion in this game, scoring 20 points, 1 rebound, 2 steals and 1 block in 20 minutes. His offensive efficiency is extremely high, with stable output at the basket and mid-range shooting, providing the Rockets' bench with strong scoring firepower and becoming the "scoring leader" on the team's bench.

Fifth, Shepard's condition has improved. Shepard also performed well in this game, scoring 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 18 minutes on 4-of-8 shooting. Although there is still room for improvement on the defensive end, the rebound in efficiency on the offensive end is a positive sign. If his outside shooting and breakthrough abilities can be maintained, he will add more options to the Rockets' rotation.

The twin stars of Jabari Smith and Amen Thompson shined in this game, allowing fans to see the growth and potential of the Rockets' young core, and also adding more expectations to the team's journey in the new season. Uduka's new starting lineup and tactical arrangements are indeed something. It seems that the Rockets in the new season are worth looking forward to.