Veteran guard John Wall took the lead on Saturday with a game-high 28 points and six assists, which led the shortened Houston Rockets to a 102-94 (goals) victory in Toyota Center over the Sacramento Kings.
With regular full-back James Harden scraping back due to a sprained ankle, Wall picked up the slack hole and then a few flashes of form that made him a five-time NBA All-Star ahead of a series of injuries. Wall missed the first two games of Houston’s regular season 2020-21, losing both due to a mandatory quarantine, but he has fueled the Rockets (2-2) in his offense and defense since his return.
With 50 combined points in the two games, both against Sacramento, Wall becomes the first NBA player since Michael Jordan in 2001 to score 50 in his first two games after a layoff of at least two years. With a lightning-fast first step to break down defense, Wall also led the Rockets with 15 assists in the games, including six on Saturday.
Most impressively, Wall also showed up to deliver on the other side of the court. Wall fired three steals and two touchdowns on Saturday, and his defense helped limit rising Kings star De’Aaron Fox to 17-of-42 shooting (40.5%) over the two games in Houston. Sacramento (3-3) was held to just 30 points in a decisive second half, with Houston’s suffocating defense claiming the victory.
“We heard from people who said he looked good, but we did not know until we found him.” head coach Stephen Silas said postgame. “Regardless of the expectations we had for him, he exceeded them.”
“If I’m healthy, I can be a defender,” Wall said. He said he feels like he’s the best shooter of all time.
“I bring so much to the game besides scoring,” Wall said.
Outside of Wall, Christian Wood continued his strong run with 20 points (50% shooting), 15 rebounds and four blocks, while Eric Gordon scored 21 as a starter at the last minute in place of Harden. According to Silas, it’s too early to know if Harden will be able to play in Houston’s next game, which takes place at home against Dallas on Monday.