Game ID: 22400934
Orlando Magic @ Houston Rockets
Monday, March 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET
Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
HOU 23 28 24 22 97ORL 19 27 16 22 84
HOU vs ORL ScoutingHOU vs ORL Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
HOU availability going into 3/03 · 1 day's restOUT Dante missed 60 since 10/23, returns tonight: 19 min (146% of 13)
BACK VanVleet back 3/01 after 11, 35 min since (97% of 36)
BACK Smith Jr. back 2/21 after 22, 31 min since (106% of 29)
BACK Adams back 2/26 after 2, 13 min since (90% of 15)
NEW Jef. Green 12 to 18 min over the last 3
HOU availability going into 3/04 · back-to-backBACK VanVleet back 3/01 after 11, 35 min since (97% of 36)
BACK Adams back 2/26 after 2, 13 min since (90% of 15)
BACK Dante back 3/03 after 60, 19 min since (146% of 13)
NEW Jef. Green 12 to 18 min over the last 4
HOU availability going into 3/06 · 1 day's restOUT VanVleet missed 2 since 3/03, out tonight
BACK Adams back 2/26 after 2, 14 min since (95% of 15)
BACK Dante back 3/03 after 60, 19 min since (146% of 13)
NEW Sheppard 12 to 17 min over the last 3
HOU availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT VanVleet missed 3 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Dante missed 2 since 3/04, out tonight
OUT Landale missed 2 since 3/04, returns tonight: 6 min (51% of 12)
BACK Adams back 2/26 after 2, 15 min since (103% of 15)
NEW Thompson 32 to 37 min over the last 4
HOU availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restOUT VanVleet missed 4 since 3/03, out tonight
OUT Dante missed 3 since 3/04, out tonight
BACK Landale back 3/08 after 2, 6 min since (51% of 12)
NEW Thompson 32 to 38 min over the last 4
NEW Sheppard 12 to 19 min over the last 3
HOU availability going into 3/12 · 1 day's restOUT VanVleet missed 5 since 3/03, returns tonight: 28 min (77% of 36)
OUT Dante missed 4 since 3/04, out tonight
OUT Sheppard missed 2 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Landale back 3/08 after 2, 4 min since (35% of 12)
HOU availability going into 3/14 · 1 day's restOUT Thompson missed 2 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Dante missed 5 since 3/04, out tonight
OUT Sheppard missed 3 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK VanVleet back 3/12 after 5, 28 min since (77% of 36)
BACK Landale back 3/08 after 2, 6 min since (49% of 12)
HOU availability going into 3/15 · back-to-backOUT Thompson missed 3 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Dante missed 6 since 3/04, out tonight
OUT Sheppard missed 4 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK VanVleet back 3/12 after 5, 26 min since (74% of 36)
BACK Landale back 3/08 after 2, 10 min since (86% of 12)
HOU availability going into 3/17 · 1 day's restOUT Thompson missed 4 since 3/10, out tonight
OUT Dante missed 7 since 3/04, out tonight
OUT Sheppard missed 5 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK VanVleet back 3/12 after 5, 29 min since (82% of 36)
BACK Landale back 3/08 after 2, 10 min since (86% of 12)
ORL availability going into 3/02 · 2 days' restOUT Joseph missed 2 since 2/25, returns tonight: 10 min (76% of 13)
BACK Queen back 2/23 after 2, 6 min since (44% of 14)
BACK Houstan back 2/23 after 2, 8 min since (61% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 27 min over the last 5
ORL availability going into 3/04 · 1 day's restOUT Harris missed 2 since 2/27, out tonight
OUT Queen missed 2 since 2/27, out tonight
OUT Houstan missed 2 since 2/27, out tonight
BACK Joseph back 2/23 after 2, 8 min since (60% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 25 min over the last 5
ORL availability going into 3/06 · 1 day's restOUT Harris missed 3 since 2/27, out tonight
OUT Queen missed 3 since 2/27, out tonight
OUT Houstan missed 3 since 2/27, returns tonight: 8 min (56% of 13)
BACK Joseph back 2/23 after 2, 14 min since (105% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 23 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT Harris missed 4 since 2/27, returns tonight: 12 min (81% of 15)
OUT Queen missed 4 since 2/27, out tonight
BACK Joseph back 3/02 after 2, 15 min since (111% of 13)
BACK Houstan back 3/06 after 3, 8 min since (56% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 24 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 3/10 · 1 day's restOUT Queen missed 5 since 2/27, returns tonight: 12 min (86% of 14)
BACK Harris back 3/08 after 4, 12 min since (81% of 15)
BACK Joseph back 3/02 after 2, 15 min since (111% of 13)
BACK Houstan back 3/06 after 3, 7 min since (52% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 26 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 3/13 · 2 days' restOUT Joseph missed 2 since 3/08, returns tonight: 30 min (223% of 13)
BACK Harris back 3/08 after 4, 11 min since (76% of 15)
BACK Queen back 3/10 after 5, 12 min since (86% of 14)
BACK Houstan back 3/06 after 3, 7 min since (50% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 27 min over the last 4
ORL availability going into 3/14 · back-to-backBACK Harris back 3/08 after 4, 11 min since (76% of 15)
BACK Queen back 3/10 after 5, 7 min since (48% of 14)
BACK Joseph back 3/13 after 2, 30 min since (223% of 13)
BACK Houstan back 3/06 after 3, 9 min since (66% of 13)
NEW Anthony 18 to 28 min over the last 3
ORL availability going into 3/16 · 1 day's restOUT Anthony missed 2 since 3/13, returns tonight: 6 min (34% of 18)
BACK Harris back 3/08 after 4, 15 min since (98% of 15)
BACK Queen back 3/10 after 5, 7 min since (48% of 14)
BACK Joseph back 3/13 after 2, 29 min since (216% of 13)
BACK Houstan back 3/06 after 3, 12 min since (93% of 13)
ORL availability going into 3/19 · 2 days' restOUT Queen missed 2 since 3/14, out tonight
BACK Anthony back 3/16 after 2, 6 min since (34% of 18)
BACK Harris back 3/08 after 4, 16 min since (107% of 15)
BACK Joseph back 3/13 after 2, 28 min since (205% of 13)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 116, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Sengun at 24 and Brooks at 16 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without VanVleet (4 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 28 free throws a game; Banchero at 31 and Wagner at 23 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-5 a night and Orlando minus-6 and the line, where Orlando takes 28 free throws a game to Houston's 21. Call it Houston 114, Orlando 110, Orlando keeping it close.
3/03 @ OKC 128-137 — HOU notes
HOU lost 128-137. HOU shot 49% (49 of 101) to OKC's 49%, 16 of 35 from three, and got to the line 17 times to OKC's 27. Whitmore led with 27 (10 of 19, 4 of 6 from three); Sheppard added 25, Ja. Green 18. Q4 was theirs, 39-35, the deficit cut from 13 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 102-89 against them. Sheppard's -12 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/04 @ IND 102-115 — HOU notes
HOU lost 102-115. HOU took 12 more shots (98 to 86), fed by 24 offensive rebounds, but shot 41% to IND's 51%, 9 of 30 from three, and went to the line 26 times to IND's 10 — 13 points from the stripe to their 10. The glass went 58-35 for them. Sengun led with 25 (12 of 19); Eason added 16, Thompson 13. Q3 was theirs, 26-23, the deficit cut from 10 to 7, but the other 3 periods went 92-76 against them. Green's -22 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/06 @ NOP 109-97 — HOU notes
HOU won 109-97. HOU shot 57% (46 of 81) to NOP's 37%, 9 of 29 from three, and got to the line 18 times to NOP's 33. Sengun led with 22 (11 of 14); Thompson added 21, Eason 20. The hinge was Q3, 33-15: HOU came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 15. HOU trailed 56-59 at the half and won the second half 53-38. Adams was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
3/08 vs NOP 146-117 — HOU notes
HOU won 146-117. HOU shot 56% (55 of 99) to NOP's 48%, 17 of 40 from three. Brooks led with 27 (9 of 14, 7 of 11 from three); Sengun added 20, Holiday 20. The hinge was Q1, 39-28: from level to 11 ahead, and the lead reached 37. Thompson was the night's best plus/minus at +39.
3/10 vs ORL 97-84 — HOU notes
HOU won 97-84. HOU shot 39% (35 of 89) to ORL's 33%, 16 of 43 from three, and got to the line 18 times to ORL's 24. HOU turned it over 19 times to ORL's 8, and ORL turned those into 10 steals. The glass went 63-42 for them. Smith Jr. led with 20 (5 of 13, 5 of 10 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Brooks added 17, Ja. Green 15. The hinge was Q3, 24-16: a lead of 5 became 13, and the lead reached 18. Brooks was the night's best plus/minus at +20.
3/12 vs PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Sengun at 20 and Brooks at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without VanVleet (5 straight). One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 124, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 23 free throws a game; Durant at 29 and Booker at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Ighodaro (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Houston allowing 110 a night to Phoenix's 124. Call it Houston 119, Phoenix 112.
3/14 vs DAL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 103, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Sengun at 20 and Brooks at 18 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 10 a night. Without Thompson (2 straight). One day's rest. Dallas comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 128, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Marshall at 25 and Thompson at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 13 a night. Without Washington (6 straight), Davis (14 straight), Lively II (27 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-10 a night and Dallas minus-13 and the defense, Houston allowing 103 a night to Dallas's 128. Call it Houston 118, Dallas 110.
3/15 vs CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 100, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Sengun at 18 and Green at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 12 a night. Without Thompson (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Chicago comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 47 percent and 31 from three, 23 free throws a game; White at 30 and Giddey at 25 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. Without Ball (6 straight), Smith (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Houston allowing 100 a night to Chicago's 117 and the arc, Houston at 38 percent from three to Chicago's 31. Call it Houston 118, Chicago 110.
3/17 vs PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Houston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 103, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Green at 22 and Sengun at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 15 a night. Without Thompson (4 straight). One day's rest. Philadelphia comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 122, shooting 47 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; Grimes at 29 and Dowtin Jr. at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Maxey (7 straight), Oubre Jr. (2 straight), Walker IV (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Houston wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-15 a night and Philadelphia minus-8 and the defense, Houston allowing 103 a night to Philadelphia's 122. Call it Houston 120, Philadelphia 107, Houston by 13.
3/02 vs TOR 102-104 — ORL notes
ORL lost 102-104. ORL shot 45% (30 of 67) to TOR's 46%, 7 of 21 from three, and went to the line 42 times to TOR's 30 — 35 points from the stripe to their 23. Wagner led with 25 (9 of 17, 1 of 4 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Banchero added 23, Carter Jr. 14. Q2 was theirs, 28-21, the deficit cut from 8 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 83-74 against them. Black's -21 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/04 vs TOR 113-114 — ORL notes
ORL lost 113-114. ORL shot 48% (40 of 83) to TOR's 48%, 15 of 36 from three, and got to the line 23 times to TOR's 35. ORL turned it over 14 times to TOR's 20. The glass went 35-48 against them. Banchero led with 41 (14 of 20, 4 of 5 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); Wagner added 28, da Silva 12. Q4 was theirs, 40-34, the deficit cut from 7 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 80-73 against them.
3/06 vs CHI 123-125 — ORL notes
ORL lost 123-125. ORL shot 46% (40 of 87) to CHI's 50%, 9 of 33 from three, and went to the line 40 times to CHI's 30 — 34 points from the stripe to their 24. ORL turned it over 12 times to CHI's 18. The glass went 33-48 against them. Banchero led with 20 (5 of 15, 0 of 5 from three, 10 of 11 at the line); Anthony added 20, Caldwell-Pope 19. Q3 was theirs, 35-27, turning a 3-point deficit into a 5-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 98-88 against them. They led by as many as 11.
3/08 @ MIL 111-109 — ORL notes
ORL won 111-109. ORL shot 51% (42 of 82) to MIL's 55%, 12 of 32 from three. Banchero led with 29 (9 of 16, 4 of 7 from three, 7 of 10 at the line); Anthony added 22, Wagner 18. The hinge was Q1, 34-20: from level to 14 ahead, and the lead reached 17. Anthony was the night's best plus/minus at +8.
3/10 @ HOU 84-97 — ORL notes
ORL lost 84-97. ORL shot 33% (28 of 86) to HOU's 39%, 8 of 32 from three, and went to the line 24 times to HOU's 18 — 20 points from the stripe to their 11. ORL turned it over 8 times to HOU's 19. The glass went 42-63 against them. Banchero led with 25 (10 of 23, 2 of 6 from three); Wagner added 15. Q4 was theirs, 22-22, but the other 3 periods went 75-62 against them. Carter Jr.'s -14 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/13 @ NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New Orleans comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 124, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 23 free throws a game; Williamson at 25 and Murphy III at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Brooks Jr. (13 straight), Payton (44 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 33 from three, 30 free throws a game; Banchero at 28 and Wagner at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 12 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Orlando wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Orlando allowing 110 a night to New Orleans's 124 and the glass, where New Orleans has been minus-5 a night and Orlando minus-12. Call it Orlando 112, New Orleans 111, New Orleans keeping it close.
3/14 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 109, shooting 52 percent and 44 from three, 17 free throws a game; Edwards at 23 and Randle at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 108, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 25 free throws a game; Banchero at 30 and Wagner at 21 a game. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Minnesota has been plus-0 a night and Orlando minus-11 and the arc, Minnesota at 44 percent from three to Orlando's 34. Call it Minnesota 114, Orlando 106.
3/16 @ CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 30 free throws a game; Mitchell at 22 and Garland at 20 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Mitchell (2 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 108, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 25 free throws a game; Banchero at 30 and Wagner at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Without Anthony (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-2 a night and Orlando minus-11 and the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 14 times a game to Orlando's 10. Call it Cleveland 115, Orlando 107.
3/19 vs HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 104, shooting 44 percent and 37 from three, 23 free throws a game; Banchero at 31 and Wagner at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. 2 days' rest. Houston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 107, shooting 46 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Green at 25 and Eason at 18 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 19 a night. Without Thompson (5 straight), Whitmore (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Houston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Houston has been plus-19 a night and Orlando minus-8. Call it Houston 110, Orlando 108, Orlando keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
ORLAB A. Black
CA C. Anthony
CH C. Houstan
FW F. Wagner
GB G. Bitadze
GH G. Harris
JH J. Howard
JI J. Isaac
KC K. Caldwell-Pope
PB P. Banchero
TQ T. Queen
TD T. da Silva
WC W. Carter Jr.
HOUAH A. Holiday
AS A. Sengun
CW C. Whitmore
DB D. Brooks
JG J. Green
JL J. Landale
JS J. Smith Jr.
JT J. Tate
JG Ja. Green
NW N. Williams
SA S. Adams
TE T. Eason
ORL/HOU the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Jabari Smith Jr. stars as the Rockets beat the Magic 97-84 for 3rd straight win
HOUSTON -- — Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and tied a career high with five 3-pointers, helping the Houston Rockets beat the Orlando Magic 97-84 on Monday night for their third consecutive victory.
Alperen Sengun had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Houston, and Steven Adams finished with 11 points and 17 boards.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 25 points. Franz Wagner had 15 points, and Wendell Carter Jr . grabbed 12 rebounds.
The Magic closed to 65-58 on Wagner's layup with 5:04 left in the third quarter. But Jeff Green and Dillon Brooks made consecutive 3-pointers to make it 71-58 with 2:47 to go.
Banchero made two free throws, but the Rockets scored the next four points. Aaron Holiday 's 3-pointer made it 75-60 with 26 seconds to go.
Brooks finished with 17 points.
Takeaways Magic: Orlando was unable to build on its win over Milwaukee, which snapped a five-game skid. It dropped 10-22 since Jan. 1.
Rockets: Houston used a balanced scoring attack to help make up for starters Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet sitting out with ankle injuries.
Key moment Brooks and Sengun each made a 3 to help the Rockets open a 95-77 lead with 3:01 left.
Key stat The Rockets made 16 3-pointers, compared to just eight by Orlando.
Up next Houston hosts Phoenix on Wednesday night, and Orlando visits New Orleans on Thursday night.