Tag: Armoni Brooks

Armoni Brooks hits five 3-pointers off bench as Rockets beat Magic

Known best for his lightning-quick release, Brooks is now shooting 11-of-21 on 3-pointers (52.4%) in his first five NBA games.

Recent signing Armoni Brooks connected on five 3-pointers, helping lift the Houston Rockets to a 114-110 win (box score) on Sunday in Orlando.

Using a lightning-quick release, Brooks scored a career-high 16 points in Sunday’s victory. In five games with the Rockets, the University of Houston product is now shooting 11-of-21 on 3-pointers (52.4%).

Just 22 years old, the 6-foot-3 guard is currently on a two-way contract with Houston for the rest of the 2020-21 season. However, the Rockets do have portions of their mid-level exception (MLE) left for this season, which could allow them to sign Brooks for future years, if they desire.

Other standouts from Sunday’s win included Christian Wood (25 points, 10 rebounds); Kelly Olynyk (24 points, 7 rebounds); and Kevin Porter Jr. (22 points, 7 assists). The victory, which came with five-time All-Star John Wall sitting out for planned maintenance, snapped a five-game losing streak for the Rockets (15-42) and provided a clear morale boost.

The Magic (18-39) were led by Dwayne Bacon’s 22 points. See below for a compilation of highlights and postgame reaction.

[lawrence-related id=47254,46982]

Pacers at Rockets: Wednesday’s lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

Houston has more injuries, but they could have a scheduling edge, since Indiana is the road team and on the second night of a back-to-back.

When the Rockets traded James Harden in January, they could have received Caris LeVert from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the blockbuster package. Instead, though, general manager Rafael Stone chose to re-direct LeVert to Indiana, with the Rockets receiving Victor Oladipo — and eventually, Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, and a pick swap.

On Wednesday, LeVert, Olynyk, and Bradley will share the court at Toyota Center in Houston. That presents an opportunity to LeVert and his new team to perhaps show the Rockets what they missed out on.

At No. 9 in the East, the Pacers have playoff positioning on the line and much more to play for. By contrast, the Rockets — who are on a three-game losing streak — have the NBA’s second-worst record, and they’re currently only a half-game ahead of Minnesota in the league’s cellar.

Yet, it’s not as if Houston is devoid of any positives. The Rockets were competitive on Monday night in Phoenix, even against the squad with the second-best record in the Western Conference. Young players including Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., and Armoni Brooks all played well. If not for veteran John Wall shooting just 5-of-20 from the field (25%), it’s possible that the Rockets could have pulled off the upset.

[lawrence-related id=47650,47638]

In Wall’s last home outing, he had a game-high 31 points and 7 assists in Houston’s surprising win over Dallas. One week later and in the same building, the five-time All-Star looks to recapture that form.

Here’s when you should tune in to see Wednesday’s game:

  • Date: Wednesday, April 14
  • Time: 8:00 p.m. Central
  • TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
  • Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (14-40)

  • Guard: John Wall
  • Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
  • Forward: Kelly Olynyk
  • Center: Christian Wood

Indiana Pacers (25-27)

  • Guard: Malcolm Brogdon
  • Guard: Edmond Sumner
  • Forward: Caris LeVert
  • Forward: Justin Holiday
  • Center: Domantas Sabonis

Houston’s injury report is extensive, with Sterling Brown (left knee), DJ Augustin (left ankle), Danuel House Jr. (right ankle), David Nwaba (right wrist), Dante Exum (right calf) and Eric Gordon (right groin) all listed as out. On the other side, Indiana’s report will not be released until midday Wednesday, since they played on Tuesday. In that game, Myles Turner (left ankle) and TJ Warren (left foot) were the only absences.

Nonetheless, even if the Pacers have more available bodies, the Rockets will be at home and should have a scheduling edge by not having played the night before. That could give them a path to compete.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

[lawrence-related id=47627,47619]

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=dPRXZQV2fO-1256600-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

Armoni Brooks scores career-high 14 for Rockets, hits four 3-pointers

With Sterling Brown and DJ Augustin out, Armoni Brooks took advantage of Houston’s open minutes and made an impression on Stephen Silas.

With veteran guards Sterling Brown and DJ Augustin both unavailable due to new injuries, recent signing Armoni Brooks took advantage of a sudden opportunity with the Rockets by scoring 14 points in just 14 minutes. Houston still lost Monday’s game in Phoenix, 126-120 (recap), but it was a relatively encouraging showing versus a squad with the second-best record in the Western Conference on the season.

Monday’s showing represents a career-high scoring total for the second-year pro, who connected on 4-of-5 shots (80%) from 3-point range. “That was awesome to see,” head coach Stephen Silas said of Brooks. “We had him in in the fourth quarter of a tight game, and he was stepping up and making shots. That was great. It was something really cool to see.”

Brooks finished the game in Houston’s closing lineup alongside rotation regulars such as John Wall, Kevin Porter Jr., and Christian Wood. Prior to Monday, he had yet to score in an NBA game and was primarily known for his strong performances as a shooter in the G League.

“I think my ‘Oh, wow’ moment was just checking in the game, and seeing Chris Paul come into the game,” Brooks said postgame. “And it was kind of like, ‘Wow, like, this is Chris Paul in front of me.'”

Houston returns to action on Wednesday at home versus Indiana, and Brooks appears to be making a case for more minutes.

[lawrence-related id=47254]

Christian Wood’s big game not enough as Suns scorch Rockets with treys

With the loss, Houston (14-40) finished a winless road trip and tied Minnesota for the NBA’s worst record. DJ Augustin left injured.

Promising center Christian Wood led Houston with 25 points (66.7% FG) and 14 rebounds, but the short-handed Rockets couldn’t quite keep up with the hot-shooting Suns on Monday night in Phoenix. Second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. added 20 points and a career-high 14 assists.

The Suns (38-15) have the Western Conference’s second-best record, and they showed why early against the Rockets. In a sensational shooting display, Phoenix connected on 18-of-24 shots from 3-point range (75.0%) in the first half, tying the NBA record for made 3-pointers in a half.

That put the Suns comfortably ahead by 23 at the break, and they held on from there for the 126-120 win (box score). For the game, they shot 25-of-45 (55.6%) on 3-pointers. Veteran forward Jae Crowder led Phoenix with 26 points on 8-of-12 shooting (66.7%) from 3-point range, while All-Star guard Devin Booker had 24 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds.

Making matters worse, the Rockets may not get better or healthier in the immediate future. With Eric Gordon (right groin), David Nwaba (right wrist), Danuel House Jr. (right ankle), and Dante Exum (right calf) already sidelined for some time, Houston was without Sterling Brown (sore left knee) on Monday and lost DJ Augustin early to an ankle sprain.

While the injury report for Wednesday’s home game versus Indiana is not yet out, early indications are not positive for either to play. Recent signing Armoni Brooks took advantage of the open minutes on Monday, scoring 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting (80%) from 3-point range.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYEVhV1AQeU

With Monday’s loss, Houston (14-40) concluded a winless three-game road trip and tied Minnesota for the NBA’s worst record in the 2020-21 season. Whether the Rockets actually finish with the bottom mark is largely irrelevant, since their odds of having a top-four draft pick (and thus, not losing it to Oklahoma City via a pick swap) are identical, as long as they are among the NBA’s three worst teams.

See below for a compilation of highlights and postgame reaction from Monday night. Wednesday’s tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. Central.

[lawrence-related id=47619]

Rockets signing former University of Houston standout Armoni Brooks

Brooks played for Houston’s G League affiliate this season, averaging 16.8 points (37.5% on 3-pointers) in 30.6 minutes per game.

The Rockets are signing 6-foot-3 shooting guard Armoni Brooks to the two-way contract slot opened up with the release of Justin Patton, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Now 22 years old and in his second professional season, Brooks was a college basketball standout at the University of Houston. In the 2020-21 campaign, Brooks played for Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers — where he averaged 16.8 points (37.5% on 3-pointers), 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 30.6 minutes per game.

“It’s just exciting,” Brooks told Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “It’s a dream come true to finally be able to play in the NBA, and being able to do it in the city that I went to college in is just great.”

“I was actually in the airport on my way to go to New Zealand [to play in the professional league there],” Brooks told Berman on Saturday. “I got a phone call, and they said they signed me to a two-way [contract], and I just started crying in the airport.”

While Brooks is getting Patton’s two-way contract slot, he will effectively be replacing Ben McLemore as the designated sharpshooter off the bench for head coach Stephen Silas. McLemore is also being released.

General manager Rafael Stone indicated recently that Houston plans to spend more of its 2020-21 mid-level exception (MLE) on a signing (or signings) later this season, and that’s where McLemore’s roster spot will presumably go. For now, Brooks appears to be the only addition.

[lawrence-related id=47246,47236]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrhHhXYdg14

Rio Grande Valley Vipers finalize roster for G League ‘bubble’ season

The roster for Houston’s affiliate features several players with NBA experience, including Josh Huestis, Ray Spalding, and Kenny Wooten.

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers, who are the NBA G League affiliate organization of the Houston Rockets, finalized their roster for the upcoming 2021 season at the Disney World “bubble” near Orlando.

The Vipers’ roster includes returning players William McDowell-White, Shawn Occeus, and Ray Spalding. In addition, 2021 NBA G League draftees Armoni Brooks and Jarron Cumberland are joining RGV.

The RGV roster now stands at 12, including two-way players Mason Jones and Brodric Thomas. All are eligible to join the squad at the “bubble” site when the season begins in February. (That said, since Jones currently has a rotation role with the short-handed Rockets, he might stay with the parent organization at the NBA level for a while longer.)

The complete roster can be seen below.

1  Armoni Brooks  |  Guard  |  6’3 | 195 |   Houston, | Draft
3  Jarron Cumberland  |   Guard  | 6’5 | 210 |   Cincinnati, | Draft
34 Josh Huestis  |  Forward  | 6’7 | 230 |   Stanford, | Returner
9 Mason Jones*  |  Guard  | 6’4 | 200 |   Arkansas, | Two-Way
5 William McDowell-White  |  Guard | 6’5 | 185 |   California State, | Returner
42 Trhae Mitchell  |  Forward  | 6’6 | 196 |   South Alabama, | Tryout
18 Shawn Occeus  |  Guard  |  6’4 | 210 |   Northeastern, | Returner
21 Trevelin Queen  |  Guard  | 6’6 | 190 |   New Mexico State, | Affiliate
23 Josh Reaves  |  Guard   | 6’4 | 214 |   Penn State, | Affiliate
26 Ray Spalding  |  Forward   | 6’9 | 225 |   Louisville, | Returner
33 Brodric Thomas*  |  Guard  | 6’5 | 185 |   Truman State. | Two-Way
0 Kenny Wooten  |  Forward   | 6’8 | 235 |   Oregon, | Affiliate

*Two-Way Player

The returning player rights to Josh Huestis were acquired by Rio Grande Valley via a trade with Austin Spurs during the 2019-20 season, and he returns to the United States after a stint with Bayern Munich (German Basketball League) last season. Josh Reaves, Kenny Wooten, and Trevelin Queen are joining the Vipers as affiliated players.

[lawrence-related id=43061]

Trhae Mitchell joins RGV as a local tryout player after finishing his collegiate career at South Alabama. In addition, nine players on the Vipers’ roster have previously signed an NBA contract, while seven have previously competed in the G League.

The 2021 NBA G League game and broadcast schedule will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit www.rgvipers.com. .

[lawrence-related id=43223,43064]

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=IvgGkeofTn-1112392-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

Houston’s G League affiliate drafts Armoni Brooks, Jarron Cumberland

Brooks and Cumberland, who played in college at Houston and Cincinnati, will report to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for the 2020-21 season.

The Rio Grande Valley Vipers, who are an affiliate organization of the Houston Rockets, selected 6-foot-3 guard Armoni Brooks and 6-foot-5 guard Jarron Cumberland with the No. 10 and No. 12 overall picks in Monday’s 2020-21 NBA G League draft.

Brooks played three college seasons at the University of Houston from 2016 through 2019, and he was with the G League’s College Park Skyhawks last season — an Atlanta Hawks affiliate. Known best for his shooting, Brooks made 40.1% of his 3-pointers in the G League last season on high volume, averaging 5.6 attempts in 21.0 minutes per game.

Meanwhile, Cumberland played four seasons at the University of Cincinnati from 2016 through 2020. In his 2019-20 senior campaign, he averaged 15.5 points and 4.9 assists in 32.4 minutes per game.

The NBA G League will begin its 2020-21 campaign in February at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, similar to the NBA’s “bubble” format utilized to complete the 2019-20 season. The Vipers are among 18 G League franchises who have committed to participate.

From Houston’s perspective, their relationship with the Vipers offers an opportunity to evaluate younger players and allow them to develop under the tutelage of a coaching staff selected by the Rockets.

Here’s a look at video highlights of the newest Vipers. Rio Grande Valley has yet to formally announce its roster for the 2020-21 season.

[lawrence-related id=43064,43061]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsvHh7_yI4I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD1YiBhLJ-4