LISTEN: Houston Rockets Playing with 'Bag of Chips' on Shoulders

On the latest episode of the "Kiss of Death Podcast," we break down the Houston Rockets' win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 13, 2023

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are flying out of Birmingham, Alabama all smiles after their 120-87 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night in the second game of the preseason.

Sure, the game was just an exhibition contest, but there is certainly something to take away for the Rockets.

Houston looks extremely competitive and the team isn't treating this game like the preseason. The Rockets have something to prove and they look hungry.

On the latest episode of the "Kiss of Death Podcast," I break down the win over the Pelicans with Michael Brown and we talk about how this could translate going into the regular season.

Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) dunks for two against the New Orleans Pelicans during an NBA exhibition game at Legacy Arena at BJCC. — Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) dunks for two against the New Orleans Pelicans during an NBA exhibition game at Legacy Arena at BJCC / Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

The Rockets have been arguably the league's worst team since the start of the decade, completely falling apart after the James Harden trade. But now, nearly three years later, the Rockets are reborn and the team that has taken the floor the last two nights looks far different from the team Houston has seen for the past two seasons.

The fire within the team is reflected in coach Ime Udoka, who also has something to prove after his bizarre exit with the Boston Celtics a year ago.

Udoka has this team with not just a chip, but a whole bag of Doritos on both shoulders ... and that mindset could be what finally gets this team out of the doldrums of the NBA.

The Rockets are back in action on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Bank Center.

Published Oct 13, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.