Jalen Green recorded 26 points, Dillon Brooks contributed 23 before being ejected from the game, and the Rockets secured their seventh consecutive victory, defeating the Chicago Bulls 127-117 on Thursday night.
“It’s good to see us playing well again,” commented Rockets coach Ime Udoka. “Now we want to keep up this momentum and continue to improve with each game.”
Houston has performed impressively in March, winning nine out of ten games, and is now just 2 1/2 games behind Golden State for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. This winning streak marks the Rockets’ longest since 2021.
With the Rockets leading 84-75 in the third quarter, a foul by DeMar DeRozan on Green led to a confrontation involving Brooks. Following a review, DeRozan was ejected for committing a flagrant foul 2, while Brooks was also ejected for his involvement in the altercation.
“Brooks had a great impact on the game, and although, unfortunately, he got ejected, I appreciate him standing up for his teammates,” remarked Udoka. “He bounced back well tonight.”
Bulls interim coach Billy Donovan expressed surprise at the situation, stating, “Losing good players is never ideal. I don’t believe DeMar intended to commit a flagrant 2, but it escalated quickly.”
Crew Chief Curtis Blair explained, “DeRozan was given a flagrant foul penalty 2 due to excessive and unnecessary contact. Brooks was ejected for escalating the situation.”
After the disruption, Houston finished the quarter strongly, leading 105-94, and maintained control of the game. The Rockets’ bench played a crucial role, outscoring the Bulls’ bench by 21 points.
“Our bench really stepped up,” Udoka acknowledged. “When Dillon left the game, and Jabari (Smith Jr.) dealt with foul trouble, it was great to see those guys making an impact.”
Jock Landale contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds, Aaron Holiday scored 15, and Jeff Green added 14 points, all coming off the bench for Houston. Ayo Dosunmu led Chicago with 35 points, while Nikola Vučević recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
