HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Two nights after the Rockets played what might've been their best game of the season, Ime Udoka watched his team surrender six three-pointers in a 33-point first quarter against the shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans, prompting him to call two timeouts before it ended.
The Rockets failed to build on Monday's 135-119 win over the Lakers by losing to the Pelicans, who played without Zion Williamson, 110-99 on Wednesday, dropping them to 22-25 on the season, a full game back of the Lakers and Jazz for ninth place in the Western Conference.
"You'd like some carry over from game to game, and we're so inconsistent as far as that," Udoka said. "Don't know which team is gonna show up on a night-to-night basis."
Wednesday concluded a 7-10 January for the Rockets that started with back-to-back wins against the Pistons and Nets. The team hasn't won consecutive games since that January 3 win over Brooklyn, and it has lost 4-of-7 game inside Toyota Center.
"That shit happens, up and down (play)," Rockets center Alperen Sengun said. "That wasn't our day today, but we have another game Friday, and we're gonna play hard and win the game."
The Rockets will open the February portion of their schedule when they host the Toronto Raptors on Friday. They will then play 7-of-8 away from home, where they are just 5-16 this season. Their three remaining home games this month will come against the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and Oklahoma City, three playoff teams if the season ended today.
"We just gotta bring the same energy every night," Rockets guard Jalen Green said. "The energy we brought against the Lakers, that has to be every night, coming out and wanting to guard. The offense is going to take care of itself at the end of the day, so it's just about locking up on defense."
