Out of 30 NBA teams, the Houston Rockets entered Friday at No. 22 in 3-point makes per game (12.0) and No. 28 in accuracy (32.6%).
Those numbers got a big boost, however, in Friday night’s 132-90 romp (box score) over the visiting Orlando Magic (6-3) at Toyota Center. It was easily the largest margin of victory for the Rockets (3-4) this season, and it snapped a two-game losing streak entering the game.
Houston made a season-high 22 3-pointers out of 47 attempts (46.8%), led by five makes each from starting forward PJ Tucker (15 points) and reserve guard Ben McLemore (15 points).
McLemore had missed the first six games of the 2020-21 regular season for the Rockets after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19. But he was Houston’s best 3-point shooter last season at 40.0%, and in his first game of the new season on Friday, McLemore didn’t show any signs of rust with a spectacular 5-of-5 shooting performance from long range.
“It gives us a stone-cold shooter on the perimeter,” said head coach Stephen Silas, in response to a question about the impact of McLemore’s return. “As you saw from our previous games, we needed that.”
Good to have you back, @BenMcLemore!
🏀 15 PTS
☔️ 5/5 3PT pic.twitter.com/myyJ3H8zKZ— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 9, 2021
Meanwhile, Tucker made 5-of-7 from 3-point range (71.4%), and he also played a key role in Houston’s ball movement with five assists. Tucker’s points, 3-point makes, and assists were all season-highs.
With the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers (7-3) coming to town for two games on Sunday and Tuesday, the Rockets likely need to shoot well to have a chance to win. The performances from McLemore and Tucker on Friday offered hope that that could be the case.
Vintage/Old-School James Harden. 1/5 pick-and-roll, defense collapses on the Big rolling to the rim, opens the shooter in opposite corner and Harden with the pass right into the shooting pocket of P.J. Tucker. Great pass. pic.twitter.com/QFgxSI0yNG
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 9, 2021
