The short-handed Houston Rockets fought hard inside the State Farm Arena Saturday night. However, despite their effort, the Rockets sustained a 122-113 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.
After the loss, the Rockets will return to the Toyota Center riding a season-high four-game losing streak. Jalen Green recorded his first career triple-double with 26 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
For the second consecutive night, the Rockets had a subpar start to the game. However, Houston's sluggish start stemmed from travel issues following Friday's loss to the Toronto Raptors. Due to some difficulties, the Rockets did not get to their hotel in Atlanta until 4 a.m.
The Hawks jumped out to an early five-point lead (12-7) three minutes into the first quarter. But due to a 10-0 run, the Rockets entered the second quarter holding a 31-19 lead. Atlanta used the second period to regain their momentum. And by halftime, the Rockets trailed 57-49.
A mediocre third quarter featured the Rockets battling back from several double-digit deficits during the second half. But the Hawks reclaimed their dominance each time Houston came within striking distance.
In addition to Green, five players scored in double figures against the Hawks. Jeff Green finished with a season-high 19 points, while Aaron Holiday added 18 points off the bench. Amen Thompson, who made his fourth career start, added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.
Dejounte Murray led the way for the Hawks with 34 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Jalen Johnson finished with 21 points and six rebounds in the win.
Rockets were extremely short-handed vs. Hawks:
The Rockets ruled out Alperen Şengün and Cam Whitmore ahead of Saturday's contest against the Hawks. Şengün missed his first game of the season due to lower back pain.
A right ankle injury sidelined Whitmore for the first time in his career. He sustained the injury amid Friday's loss to the Raptors. Tari Eason and Fred VanVleet remained out due to their respective injuries.
A modest performance for Trae Young:
Trae Young has given the Rockets problems since making his NBA debut in 2018. Young came into the night averaging 29.5 points, 10.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 11 games against the Rockets. His 12th career performance against Houston ended with 18 points on 6 of 16 shooting from the field, 2 of 9 from behind the arc.
Another winless road trip:
The Rockets ended their four-game road trip with a 0-4 record. But more importantly, Houston remains one of the league's worst teams on the road. They are 5-20 away from the Toyota Center and have dropped eight of their last 10 games.
More must-reads: