Bobby Marks: Hibbert gets a 2.3m bonus that drops LAL r…
March 28, 2024 | 12:01 pm EDT Update
Nate Duncan: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But also, if Taylor can get out of this deal with Lore it’s probably good business (if not necessarily fair business) since the team is worth a lot more than the purchase price they agreed on 2 years ago.
Alex Raskin: Big winner in the #Timberwolves situation is Glen Taylor, who can now sell the team at a valuation closer to $3 billion after previously agreeing to unload the team to A-Rod and Lore for $1.5 billion.
Enough hugs to go around, high fives, and even a smile from head coach Ime Udoka. The Rockets — players, coaches, team staffers and even the front office and ownership — all convened in the adjacent visitor’s space to revel in the victory. Udoka brought up the most important play of the evening — the drive from Jalen Green which led to a kick-out pass to a Smith corner triple with 21 seconds remaining in regulation. It was a sequence that displayed all of the ingredients Houston had been cooking with during this 10-game run: pace from Amen Thompson, decision-making from Green and trust in Smith even though he had yet to hit an outside shot all night. “It was lit,” Green said postgame. “Everybody was happy, celebrating, screaming. We fought for that one, worked hard. That’s how we should react after a game. We gonna celebrate our wins.”
“I didn’t have the pain of the last three years with all the losing,” Udoka added. “It means a lot to them, obviously, myself as well. Ten in a row is 10 in a row, regardless of if Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) is out or whatever the case may be. It’s hard to do in the NBA. Guys are proud of that effort, well deserved. The last three years — 17, 19, 22 wins — that’s the reaction you’re going to get when you put 10 together in a row.”
But even if they don’t, this season should be seen through the lens of success. They’re a franchise that has toiled at the bottom of most statistical categories for years and is now a top 10 unit on both sides of the ball this month with the best net rating in the NBA, per Cleaning the Glass. This team has learned to compete for 48 minutes at a time, understanding the importance of establishing a defensive identity while realizing the difficulties of offensive consistency. They’re not afraid to mix it up, much to the delight of Udoka (and Brooks) but at its core, the Rockets are ready to dig in their heels for whatever comes their way, a mentality that will carry them in the future. “It’s amazing,” Brooks told The Athletic of Houston’s new approach. “That’s all I wanted to do. It took time, which we knew. Having that aggressiveness on the offensive and defensive end is what we need to win games.”
What do you think of the chemistry that Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam have had with their two-man game? Obi Toppin: “It’s easy to play with Tyrese. He’s so willing to give up the ball. But he’s such a threat offensively with his scoring that he draws so much attention. That allows other people to get open. They found a way to play with each other. It’s been great. It’s just like Tyrese and Myles Turner. With both of them, I think they’re the best duo in pick-and-roll in the league. I think so. Don’t quote me on that.”
What makes Tyrese and Myles the best duo in the pick-and-roll? Obi Toppin: “Just because they’re willing to get everybody involved. They don’t try to do everything themselves. They understand the attention that they bring to themselves. They allow other people to play on the ball to get them open. That helps them tremendously. That’s why we’ve been so successful.”
What do you make of Tyrese being hard on himself with his recent shooting struggles? Obi Toppin: “He’s such a great player. He holds himself to a certain standard. If he doesn’t feel like he’s playing up to par, he’s going to be down on himself. But he’s in the gym every single day putting in the work to increase his mindset and sharpen his craft. He’s working out every single day and getting better. But he’s going to be good.”