Preseason: Houston Rockets Edge Phoenix Suns 95-92

The second week of the Houston Rockets preseason is underway; and, so far, they’re barreling through the competition.

It’s extremely apparent that this current roster has more depth than last season’s.

Daryl Morey was wise and used some of the extra cash available that was earmarked for the top free agents of this summer for beefing up the bench.

It’s definitely showing.

So far, the team has gone 3-0 including a nail-biting win against the Dallas Mavericks last Tuesday. They won after a late-game foul was committed by Jae Crowder sending Kostas Papanikolaou to the line sinking three free-throws to seal the deal. They also won in lopsided fashion with a 20-point victory over the Memphis Grizzlies this past Thursday.

It’s tough the Rockets likely got the back seat this past Thursday as the Texans were taking on the Indianapolis Colts.

As far as sports, when the Texans are playing, everything else tends to take a back seat, so I’m sure it was ghost town at Toyota Center with many tumbleweeds blowing by as the Texans were taking on the Colts at NRG Stadium.

So 3-0!

Encouraging.

This game was as fast-paced as the characterization of the players who were participating in it.

These are two young teams that fought hard this game out all the way to the end.

Oct 13, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets forward Terrence Jones (6) and Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic (1) attempt to get a rebound during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

This game was close throughout and the largest Rockets lead was 10 points with nearly five minutes left to go in the 3rd quarter.

There were 11 lead changes in this game and the game was tied seven times last night.

This game definitely demonstrated that the team is still having trouble holding on to a lead against the stronger teams but they know how to win when it counts.

And that’s what matters at the end of the day — getting the W.

The Suns had started to chip away at the Rockets 3rd quarter 10-point lead and they found themselves back in the game down the stretch toward the end.

That’s when Terrence Jones, Tarik Black, Troy Daniels and Isaiah Canaan went to work to get the Rockets over the hump.

With 2:50 left to go, Daniels had a beautiful floater in the lane off a Jones assist putting the Rockets up 89-88.

Black was a rebounding machine — he had seven total — and was able to convert one out of two free throws tying the game at 90 all after Earl Barron had put the Suns up by one on the previous possession.

That’s when Canaan took charge and made plays happen with his legs — he made three trips to the line within the last 30 seconds of the game, going 4-for-5 in that time period.

Oct 13, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard Isaiah Canaan (0) drives the ball as Phoenix Suns guard Archie Goodwin (20) defends during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

He eventually put the Rockets up 95-92 — the final score. The Suns got the ball back but Anthony Tolliver made a bad pass that was picked off by Papanikolaou making the Rockets the victor.

Buckling down, concentrating on strategy and getting the job done, that’s what I’m talking about!

The Rockets shot a respectable 41 percent from the field and lived at the free throw line going 22-for-36 for 61 percent.

The team was abysmal from three-point going 5-for-30 for 17 percent. The Suns weren’t too much better going 5-for-25 for 20 percent.

Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe led the Suns, chipping 12 and 13 points each respectively. Those two are going to comprise a dangerous back court this season! Bledsoe also had two dimes to his credit.

Jones led all Rockets with 18 points and seven boards, three steals, two assists and one block in 27 minutes of action.