Space City Scoop
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The Rockets finish the Summer League with a 4-1 record

By Michael Knight

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: De'Anthony Melton #0 of the Houston Rockets goes to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 14, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: De'Anthony Melton #0 of the Houston Rockets goes to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 14, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Unfortunately, the Rockets were sent home today in the second round of the Summer League playoffs. Still, there is a lot to be excited about with their performance during the week.

The Houston Rockets have a ton to be proud about with their Summer League experience. They went 4-1 in Las Vegas on a team that consisted of zero first-round picks of the Rockets.

The team lost to the Cavaliers Saturday afternoon by a score of 95-87. It was a close game throughout, but the Rockets could never quite take control of the contest.

Melton vs. Sexton

The matchup everyone was watching for was De’Anthony Melton vs. Collin Sexton. They both shot poorly, 5-17, but contributed in other ways.

The matchup:

Collin Sexton: 17p, 5r, 3a, 2s, 5-17 shooting

De’Anthony Melton: 16p, 10r, 7a, 4s, 5-17 shooting

— Space City Scoop (@SpaceCity_Scoop) July 14, 2018

Sexton was the first round pick of the Cavs, the No. 8 overall selection this season. Melton was the No. 46 overall pick by the Rockets and has played like a first rounder in the Summer League.

De’Anthony Melton

Arguably the biggest bright spot of the Summer League was De’Anthony Melton. The former USC guard came ready to play for the Rockets and might have earned himself some minutes this season.

Melton showed, at times, a much-improved 3-point shot from what we saw in college. He shot over 40% from distance in three of the five games this summer. That wasn’t the most impressive part of his game, though.

The defense and hustle of Melton are what really was great. He is a rebounding machine as a guard and locked down the wings he defended. He also wasn’t afraid to sacrifice his body for a play and showed that on multiple occasions, including today:

Unreal amount of hustle by Melton. pic.twitter.com/xbtoS03Irk

— Space City Scoop (@SpaceCity_Scoop) July 14, 2018

Others

Many other players from the Rockets were showing out in the Summer League. Danuel House, the former A&M Aggie, had a great run of things, including 30 points today. He might have earned himself a roster spot with the Rockets, or, at the very least, with some team in the NBA.

Zhou Qi and Isaiah Hartenstein showed improvements from last year, it will be interesting to see how they develop throughout the regular season.

Vince Edwards showed flashes of greatness for the team. He is someone who can light it up, but his shot wasn’t really falling in the Summer League.

Next: Rockets are the frontrunner for Melo

We’ll have some more in-depth analysis of each key performer at a later date, but congrats again to the Rockets on a successful Las Vegas Summer League! It was a ton of fun to watch.

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