In a face-off between the Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic, Jabari Smith Jr. stood out with 20 points and equaled his career-best by sinking five 3-pointers. The Rockets secured a 97-84 win Monday night, marking their third win in a row. Alongside him, Alperen Sengun contributed significantly with a double-double, scoring 14 points and snagging 14 rebounds. Steven Adams also put up a strong performance with 11 points and an impressive 17 rebounds.
The Magic, on the other hand, were led by Paolo Banchero, who scored 25 points. Franz Wagner also added 15 points to Orlando’s score, while Wendell Carter Jr. was formidable under the basket, pulling down 12 rebounds. The Magic managed to close in on the Rockets with a 65-58 score after Wagner’s layup mid-third quarter. However, the Rockets responded with consecutive three-pointers from Jeff Green and Dillon Brooks, setting the score to 71-58. Despite Banchero’s efforts from the free-throw line, the Rockets kept pushing, with Aaron Holiday scoring a critical three-pointer, expanding the lead to 75-60.
Dillon Brooks ended the night with 17 points, further solidifying the Rockets’ win. This game was pivotal for the Rockets, who were missing starters Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet due to ankle injuries, but managed to maintain a balanced scoring strategy. The Magic, unable to capitalize on their recent victory against Milwaukee, succumbed to their 22nd loss since the beginning of the year after a January slump.
One of the key moments came when Brooks and Sengun sank consecutive threes, extending the Rockets’ lead to 95-77, with a little over three minutes remaining in the game. Notably, the Rockets excelled in long-range shooting, making 16 three-pointers as opposed to Orlando’s eight. Looking forward, the Rockets are set to face the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, while the Magic will take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night.
