‘Heat check’: Rockets celebrate electric second half by Christian Wood
Most of the 13,936 fans in attendance at Toyota Center on Monday night came to the Houston Rockets game to receive a free Jalen Green bobblehead. They left with their jaws dropped after a career-high performance from center Christian Wood, whose 30 points in the second half helped the Rockets defeat the Washington Wizards, 115-97.
The 6-foot-10 big man finished with 39 points on 14-of-18 shooting (77.8%), representing the highest point total by a Rockets player while shooting 75% or better since James Harden’s 56-point game versus Utah on Nov. 5, 2017, on 19-of-25 shooting (76.0%).
Wood was on fire from 3-point range and beyond. He connected on a career-high eight 3-pointers, going 7-for-7 on long-distance shots in the second half, with the final attempt coming 33-feet away from the basket.
“That last step back that I shot, that is when I felt that everything I threw up was going in,” Wood said postgame. “That was a heat check, for sure.”
After trailing by 23 points in the first half, Houston needed a heroic performance to rally, and Wood delivered. The second half belonged to the 26-year-old, who scored 15 points apiece in the third and fourth quarters to help the Rockets win their 18th game of the season.
“That last step back that I shot, that is when I felt that everything, I threw up was going in,” said Christian Wood who made 8-of-9 three-pointers against the Washington Wizards. #Rockets #LightTheFuse #Sarge pic.twitter.com/XC4NRKrv6Z
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) March 22, 2022
“I was just, like, in shock,” said rookie Jalen Green about Wood’s second-half performance. “When you’re on the court, and that’s happening, someone gets hot like that, it’s like, oh my God! We knew he was hot, and we just kept feeding him, and he just kept hitting shots.”
Even though Wood has only played in 9 out of 12 games in March, missing three games due to illness (strep throat), he has been very efficient. In 32 minutes per game, he averages 22.1 points and 10.1 rebounds. This month, he has 200 points on 109 shots, equating to 1.83 points per shot.
Wood said postgame that he’s a strong believer in Houston’s future with a young nucleus of players that includes himself, Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Alperen Sengun:
We have had numerous games of glimpses of what we could be. I believe in this team and all these young guys. We are a talented team, and we just have to stay together and try to keep the same energy and effort on a consistent basis, especially defensively.
Houston (18-54) now heads out for three games on the road starting on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks (44-28).
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Christian Wood erupts with career-high 39 points as Rockets rout Wizards
