Veteran guard John Wall led the way with 28 points and six assists, the game record, leading the shorthanded Houston Rockets to a 102-94 (box score) victory at the Toyota Center over the Sacramento Kings.
With his usual defense mate James Harden, a late scratch from a sprained ankle, Wall took the break and then a little, showing flashes of the form that made him an NBA five-star before a series of injuries. Wall lost the first two games of the Houston 2020-21 regular season, both defeats due to a mandatory quarantine, but he lit the Rockets (2-2) in both attack and defense since his return.
With 50 points combined in both games, both against Sacramento, Wall became the first NBA player since Michael Jordan in 2001 to score 50 in his first two games after a layoff of at least two years. Using a lightning fast first step to break defenses, Wall also led the Rockets with 15 assists in those games, including six on Saturday.
Perhaps most striking is the fact that Wall was able to deliver on the other end of the court. Wall had three steals and two blocks on Saturday, and his defense helped to limit Kings star De’Aaron Fox to 17 of 42 shots (40.5%) in both games in Houston. Sacramento (3-3) had just 30 points in a decisive second half, with Houston’s stifling defense leading the way to victory.
“We heard people who said he looked fine, but we didn’t know until we caught him.” Head coach Stephen Silas said post-game. “Whatever expectations we had for him, he exceeded them.”
“When I’m healthy, I can be a blocking defender,” added Wall, who said he felt like the best point guard of all time.
“I bring a lot to the game besides scoring,” said Wall after the game.
Outside Wall, Christian Wood continued his strong run with 20 points (50% of pitches), 15 rebounds and four blocks, while Eric Gordon scored 21 as a last-minute starter in place of Harden. Silas said after the game that it is too early to know if Harden will be able to play Houston’s next game, which takes place on Monday at home against Dallas.