HOUSTON — Ziaire Williams delivered a strong performance with 21 points, while D’Angelo Russell contributed 18, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 110-98 victory against the undermanned Houston Rockets on Saturday night. This win marked the Nets’ first back-to-back victories since November, having previously defeated Charlotte on Wednesday.
The Rockets were missing key player Alperen Sengun, who sat out due to a bruised calf for the second consecutive game, and their efforts were further complicated when Fred VanVleet sustained an ankle injury during the second quarter of play. Throughout the majority of the game, Brooklyn maintained a lead of double digits and managed to extend their advantage to 18 points with a significant scoring burst early in the third quarter.
Jalen Green carried the scoring load for the Rockets, putting up 29 points. However, this loss was a setback for Houston, which had recently enjoyed a four-game winning streak prior to dropping their last two matches.
**Takeaways**
The Nets demonstrated a well-rounded offensive strategy with all five of their starters scoring at least 13 points. In contrast, the Rockets struggled offensively in the absence of Sengun and VanVleet, who rank second and third on the team in scoring with averages of 19.1 and 14.9 points per game, respectively. VanVleet managed to score only three points before leaving the game due to injury.
**Key moment**
A pivotal point in the game came early in the third quarter when the Nets, leading by nine, embarked on an 11-2 scoring run. This surge included contributions from Williams and Keon Johnson, who both drilled three-pointers, pushing the score to 66-48 with seven and a half minutes remaining in the quarter.
**Key stat**
Rockets players Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks had a tough night, combining to hit only 11 of their 30 shot attempts.
**Up next**
Looking ahead, the Rockets are set to embark on a four-game road trip, starting with a matchup against the New York Knicks on Monday night. They will face the Nets again on Tuesday night in Brooklyn’s next outing.
