Ime Udoka On Rockets 4-Game Winning Streak: 'We Got Back To Guarding At A Pretty High Level'

Jalen Green had 29 points while Alperen Sengun scored 20 to lead the Rockets to a 111-104 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Houston extended their winning streak to four games. "We got back to guarding at a pretty high level," head coach Ime Udoka said. With Jabari Smith Jr. and Fred VanVleet returning to the lineup, the Rockets have been given a boost as the conclusion of the regular season approaches in a tightly contested race for spots 2-5 in the Western Conference. "The luck of being totally healthy throughout the season is unrealistic," Udoka said. "That's the blessing that we have with our team is that we have a lot of interchangeable parts." Houston has seen success in rolling out bigger lineups, intermixing Smith, Sengun and Steven Adams. "Double bigs have been really good for us," Udoka said. "It comes down to a war of will with the bigs and smalls out there and who can take advantage of what." Adams and Suns center Mason Plumlee were ejected before halftime of Wednesday's matchup after the pair wrestled each other to the court. Adams' presence under the basket on both ends of the floor is a major factor in the Rockets leading the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 14.7 per game this season. "In order to be a really good offensive rebounder like [Adams] does, you have to have a great sense of where the ball is going to come off the rim. But it starts with his strength and wedging guys under, carving out that space for himself. A lot of times, he's going to get the ball, but also he commands a double, triple team on the glass, and he allows other guys to clean up and get those opportunities as well," Udoka said. The Rockets host the Mavericks on Friday in the first of a back-to-back as the Bulls will be in the Toyota Center the following night.