Why Rockets Lost Opener vs. Hornets

The Houston Rockets fell to the Charlotte Hornets in their first game of the season.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 24, 2024

Oct 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann (23) drives with the ball as Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) defends during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In this story:

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are waking up disappointed after falling 110-105 against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.

Even though they were up by double digits in the first half, the Rockets squandered their lead in the third quarter and played down to the wire against the Hornets, who made some clutch shots in the end to pull out a victory.

“The things we did do when the shots weren’t falling was continue to guard, we let go of the rope as far as that in the second half,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said via SportsRadio 610 reporter Adam Spolane. “We let go of the rope as far as that in the second half, and we gave up 61 (points). Shots aren't always going to fall. You can still rely on your defense and continue to play the right way, and do the little things, like we did in the first half, which is offensive rebound and keep them off the glass, and it kind of flipped in the second half.”

The Rockets showed that they have potential to be a good team this season, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to get there. In order to win, they have to play a full 48 minutes, which is something they didn't do against the Hornets.

The Rockets will look to bounce back tomorrow against the Memphis Grizzlies. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

Published Oct 24, 2024

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.