In the final game of the NBA’s 2022-23 season for both teams, the Rockets rallied to defeat the Wizards on Sunday, 114-109 (box score). Both teams were short-handed, as expected, in a regular-season finale with no playoff implications, with Houston (22-60) resting Kevin Porter Jr. and Washington (35-47) holding out big names such as Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis.
With the road victory, the rebuilding Rockets finished the season with three straight wins and four of their last five, overall. However, that wasn’t enough to save the job of head coach Stephen Silas, whose team finished with one of the NBA’s three worst records (and maximum draft-lottery odds) in each of his three years in Houston.
Besides sitting Porter, the Rockets gave only limited minutes to starting center Alperen Sengun (12 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists) and guard Jalen Green (14 points, 4 assists, 50% FG), who sat out late. Houston did, however, let its 2022-23 rookies play usual minutes.
Jabari Smith Jr. led the way for the Rockets with 20 points and 5 rebounds on 6-of-11 shooting (54.5%), including 7-of-8 on free-throws (87.5%), while Tari Eason had 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists on a matching 6-of-11 line. Second-year guard Josh Christopher started in place of Porter and had 13 points and 4 assists on 6-of-10 shooting (60.0%), while veteran big man Boban Marjanovic added 10 points (71.4% FG) and 6 rebounds in only 13 minutes.
Jordan Goodwin led the Wizards with 22 points and 5 assists on 8-of-14 shooting (57.1%) and 3-of-8 from 3-point range (37.5%).
Scroll on for highlights, postgame interviews, and reaction from Houston fans and media members. With their season complete, next up for the Rockets are exit interviews to recap the year and preview the offseason. A schedule for those has yet to be released.
Highlights
Analysis and Interviews
Story originally appeared on Rockets Wire