Rockets complete two-game sweep of Blazers in 115-98 win

It’s all smiles for the Houston Rockets after a successful two-game road trip in the pacific northwest.

The Rockets completed a two-game sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night with a 115-98 win.

Unlike Friday’s win, the Rockets struggled out the gate to start, trailing by four points after the first quarter. The Rockets were able to tie it by halftime, but really put their foot on the gas in the second half.

The Rockets’ defense in the second half was impressive, allowing just 38 points in the final 24 minutes.

In the second half, it was also time for rookie Alperen Sengun to shine. He scored a career-high 27 points off the bench with seven rebounds on 10 of 16 shooting. His fellow rookie Jalen Green also added 25.

The road trip in Portland was all about boosting the confidence of the league’s worst team by record. The team still walks out of Portland with the league’s worst record, but there is a newfound confidence in guys like Sengun and Green that can become a building block moving forward.

In the final two weeks of the season, the Rockets have nothing but that to play for: the opportunity to continue to build on what you’ve already built this season.

And it looks like the Rockets haven’t hit the offseason just yet.

The Rockets will now head back to Houston and kick off a four-game homestand Monday against the San Antonio Spurs. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.