Guard Victor Oladipo radiated optimism about the Houston Rockets after his franchise debut, which was quite a contrast to James Harden’s latest comments as a member of the franchise.
“I know there are better days ahead for the Houston Rockets, and I look forward to being a part of those special days,” Oladipo said after his 32-point performance and nine assist in a 125-120 road loss. against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
It was the second highest-grossing debut in franchise history, after Harden’s 37-point performance in the 2012-13 season opener.
Oladipo, a two-time All-Star for the Indiana Pacers whose career was interrupted by a torn quadriceps tendon in January 2019, was acquired by the Rockets last week in the blockbuster trade of four teams Harden sent to the Brooklyn Nets. Harden was aware that a deal was likely near when he stated that the Rockets were ‘just not good enough’ and could not be ‘resolved’ in what amounted to a valedictory speech after a lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, his last contest. in a Rockets uniform.
Oladipo trained for the first time with the Rockets on Sunday, playing out of position at point guard against the Bulls as John Wall missed his third straight game with a sore knee. Oladipo had four of its seven sales in the first quarter, which ended trailing the Rockets by 12 points.
“It started off a little shaky, which is natural, but you could see what we can be on the floor with him,” said Rockets coach Stephen Silas. “We can see that he can be a head scorer, he can play for others, he can really get behind in defense. So we’re excited about him and the prospects of what he can do and what he can become.”
Oladipo played the rest of the game, scoring 29 points on 12-of-19 shots and providing all nine of his assists in the last three quarters. Seven of Oladipo’s assists focused on centering Christian Wood (30 points, 11-of-16 shooting), as they showed the potential to form a productive pick and roll partnership.
Oladipo, who is in the final season of his contract, stressed the need for patience while the missiles form chemistry in flight. However, he repeatedly stressed how excited he is about Houston’s potential, despite Rockets’ 4-8 record.
“We’re not trying to be a good team. We’re trying to be a great team,” said Oladipo. “We have the ability to do this. We have the staff to do this and the coach. Now it’s about doing it and playing every day, every possession, and every game like it’s our last. mentality of this team.
“We have to keep getting better, of course, the chemistry keeps growing, the defense gets better. But the mindset can never change, and the approach can never change. That’s what it’s all about, man. We’re going to get out there. to go and play with that chip, that stone, whatever it is on our back, which is the biggest you can carry on your back, and go out and fight for each other. If we do that, we can I believe we can be a very good team. “