An accurate kill in 1.8 seconds, the Rockets won 3 consecutive victories! Amen, Ethan and Xiaojia welcomed 3 big benefits with 3 players scoring 20 points

Holiday's throw in 1.8 seconds was a sure winner, and the Rockets won 3 consecutive victories! The three rising stars Amen, Ethan and Xiao Jia all scored 20+ points and outstanding performances, and Hugh City continued to receive three major benefits.

The Rockets have won 3 consecutive games

After defeating the Hawks and Jazz, the Rockets faced off against the Pelicans. As the preseason progressed, the two teams significantly increased the court time of their main players, and the intensity of the game also increased. Amen even got into a fight with Alvarado and got fouled.

In the end, after four quarters of fierce battle, the Rockets relied on Holiday's floater with 1.8 seconds left in the game to defeat the Pelicans 130-128 and win three consecutive games, maintaining their undefeated status in the preseason.

Although the outcome of the preseason is irrelevant, while the Rockets won a winning streak, they also successfully inspected the players. While welcoming three major benefits, they also discovered two problems that urgently need adjustment.

Pros 1: The offense blossomed

Even though the dual-core offense of Shen Jing and Durant was not feeling good, the Rockets still scored 130 points in the game. This is also the epitome of the Rockets' offensive performance so far in the preseason. In the three games, the Rockets averaged 130.67 points per game.

The high score comes from the Rockets' many scoring points. When Shen Jing and Durant were not feeling good in this game, the three new stars Amen, Ethan and Xiao Jia stood up again.

Amen scored 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists on 5-of-8 shooting. Xiao Jia went all out and scored a game-high 26 points, plus 5 rebounds, and hit 4 three-pointers. Ethan, who came on the bench, also continued his firepower and scored 20 points efficiently at this stage.

Pros 2: Durant's stable output

Perhaps due to the preseason, Durant's performance in this game was the same as in his first show. After missing 4 consecutive shots at the beginning, he gradually found his offensive touch, and continuously scored difficult one-on-one shots on the offensive end to forcefully improve his shooting percentage.

Especially in the last ball before the break, Durant completed 2+1 at the buzzer with Zion, which fully demonstrated his ability to force the ball.

This kind of ability is precisely one of the core needs of the Rockets' bet on Durant. As long as he remains healthy, I believe Durant will solve the Rockets' lack of key ball ability.

Pros 3: Shepard continues to grow

After obtaining a stable role, the much-anticipated Shepard continued to perform at both ends of the offense and defense. He made 4 of 8 shots (3 of 6 three-pointers) and scored 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.

Although in the main stage against the Pelicans, the defensive end was still stared at by the opponent, and the team's second-highest 4 turnovers occurred. However, as the game entered the rotation stage, after Shepard gained a larger role and ball rights, his performance on both ends of the offense and defense gradually improved.

The most important thing is that he has shown an improvement in shooting confidence. As long as he continues this kind of confidence and state, Sheppard has full hope of supporting the role of backup point guard.

Two major problems exposed

While reaping three consecutive victories and welcoming three major benefits, the Rockets also exposed two major problems through preseason running-in and competition.

The first big problem is undoubtedly the organization and ball control issues after Van Jordan's absence. Amen is obviously more adaptable to the role without the ball, and Sheppard also needs time to grow.

Shen Jing played an organizational role for a long time in this game, which seriously affected his offensive output. He only scored 8 points, sent 7 assists, and made 6 turnovers. He obviously still needs some time to adapt to this role and balance personal offense and team organizational needs.

The second biggest problem is the degree of tacit understanding. Whether it is the offensive or defensive end, the Rockets lack tacit understanding, especially without veteran point guards like Van Jordan to press the court. The Rockets have more flourishes on the offensive end, but they lack opportunities to score easily after cooperation and rely more on individual forced solutions and secondary rushes.

This is especially true on the defensive end. Due to problems with tacit understanding and communication, the Rockets' defensive rotation is chaotic and requires a lot of time to adjust and adjust. After all, defense is the foundation of this Rockets team.