Former CBA foreign aid becomes a surprise: Arms 18 points + win steals, Rockets avoid five consecutive defeats

The Houston Rockets' summer league journey was shrouded in haze before the final game. The report card of all four battles and the early withdrawal of core rookie Shepard all indicate that this will be a difficult ending. In Las Vegas on July 20, when the Rockets face the Timberwolves, the starting stage of the game seemed to confirm all the concerns. The Timberwolves showed strong starting suppression and quickly established huge advantages with efficient offense and defense conversions. The dazzling 19-3 on the scoreboard and the subsequent gap that widened to 17 points clearly depict the difficulties faced by the Rockets. With smooth transmission and accurate shooting, the Timberwolves controlled the absolute initiative in the first half, while Houston's side seemed to be staggering, offense was stagnant, and the defensive end was repeatedly pierced.

The turning point quietly breeds on the brink of despair. Perhaps it was the urgency of fighting against the enemy that ignited the fighting spirit, and Rockets players gradually found a stable rhythm in the chaos. The offensive end is no longer blindly fighting alone, the number of balls has increased, and more opportunities for running without the ball and space are emerging. The defensive end began to show stronger aggression, and the pressure on the ball-holder was strengthened, interfering with the Timberwolves' previous smooth offensive system.

This tough resistance was effective before the end of the first half. Through a continuous scoring wave, the Rockets successfully narrowed the once-out-of-reach gap. The whistle in the first half, although the score of 48-57 is still behind, the 9-point gap vs. the abyss of 17 points has laid the groundwork for the sudden change in the second half. The balance of momentum has undergone subtle changes without realizing it.

After the change of sides, both teams continued their offensive feel. The Timberwolves were not panicked by their lead, and they were still able to maintain high scoring efficiency. However, the Rockets' counterattack was more fierce and sustained. They were close to the score in the third quarter and did not allow the Timberwolves to widen the gap to a safe distance again. The tension of the game continued all the way to the decisive fourth quarter.

The real decisive battle was staged in the last quarter. The Rockets' players seemed to have removed all their burdens and played the most explosive and efficient quarter of the summer league so far. The defensive intensity suddenly increased, forcing the Timberwolves to make mistakes and hasty moves. The offensive end is more determined and decisive, and every score is accompanied by a tough confrontation and a precise end. Accompanied by the noise of fans, the Rockets made a decisive climax and smoothed out the behind score! The suspense of the game was completely ignited, and both sides returned to the same starting line.

When the game entered the countdown stage and the winner was hanging on the front line, Rockets player Arms completed a defense worth a thousand gold. He keenly predicted the opponent's passing route, completed the steal quickly like a cheetah, and then drove the ball alone to launch a fatal counterattack fast attack. In the flash, Ams calmly made a layup under the interference of defensive players! This goal that overtakes the score instantly ignits the Rockets' bench and completely throws the pressure on the Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves tried to organize a counterattack at the last moment, but the Rockets' tenacious defense did not give them a chance to take action calmly. The shots were repeatedly attempted to miss the basket under tight interference. The final whistle sounded, and the score was frozen at an incredible 104-101! The Houston Rockets completed a staggering reversal from 17 points behind to a final net win of 3 points, dramatically winning their first and only victory in the summer league, avoiding a humiliating five-game losing streak.

Behind this epic reversal, the bench burst was one of the decisive factors. Among them, Nate Wilson played a crucial role. He came on as a substitute for 27 minutes, providing explosive energy on both sides of the offense and defense. On the offensive end, he made 7 goals with 11 shots, with a very high shooting percentage, contributing 14 points, and capturing 8 rebounds at the same time.

What is even more commendable is his all-round performance in the organizational franchise and defensive end - giving away 5 assists from the team, and showing his defensive end with 4 steals. In addition to the data, his extremely high on-field efficiency value (+31) is the best in the game, and it is undoubtedly the key variable in the victory or defeat of this game. When he was on the court, the Rockets beat the Timberwolves as much as 31 points, which shows its influence.

In addition to Wilson's stunning substitute performance, Arms in the starting lineup also contributed key strength. As a player who has played in the CBA, he won 28 minutes of starting time in this game. Although the overall shooting efficiency needs to be improved (5 of 15 shots in the game and 2 of 7 three-pointers) he still handed in 18 points, 4 assists and 3 steals. Throughout the summer league, Arms received full firepower from the coaching staff, and despite the fluctuations in efficiency, he showed the qualities of a big heart in this game.

It was his precise and fatal steal at the last moment and the subsequent counterattack layup that directly helped the team to overtake the score and laid the foundation for the final victory. The value of this steal is far from fully reflected in the data.

The carnival of the winner reflects the loneliness of the loser. The Timberwolves lost a good game, and a victory that almost pocketed in their pockets flew away at the last moment, which was undoubtedly a pity. Their execution ability at the last moment failed to withstand the Rockets' overwhelming counterattack pressure. There are also players in the team who have performed wonderfully. Starting guard Newton almost played the whole game, playing for 33 minutes, making 8 of 12 shots with extremely high efficiency, of which he made an astonishing 6 of 9 shots outside the three-point line, scoring the highest 24 points in the game and sending 10 assists, contributing impressive double-double data, and is the core engine for the team to establish an advantage in the first three quarters.

Inside pillar Jesse Edwards also performed steadily, hitting 7 goals in 12 shots, scoring 18 points, and taking 8 rebounds. At the same time, it built a barrier under the basket and sent 4 blocks (blocks), showing strong ability to protect the basket.. However, the Gemini's outstanding performance ultimately failed to bring a victory to the team.

Climbed out of the deep pit of 17 points to the final three-pointer, the Rockets' first victory in this summer league, the process was ups and downs and full of dramatic tension. It ended the haze of losing streak and put an imperfect but absolutely inspiring end to the team's summer journey. The efficient and versatile substitute Wilson, Arms' steal victory in the moment of life and death, and the regret of the outstanding performance of Timberwolves Newton and Edwards, but failed to win, together constitute the complete memory of this late summer battle in Las Vegas.