Rockets clinch Group A in NBA Cup tournament in OT win vs Wolves

The NBA Cup tournament seems to matter for the Houston Rockets.

This group was built for the tourney. The Rockets are a hungry young team who will take any wins they can find. The NBA championship is out of reach this year, but the Rockets play like they're fighting for it anyway.

That hunger was on full display in Tuesday's Emirates Cup game. The Rockets came away with a gritty 117-111 overtime win against the Timberwolves. As a result, the Rockets will advance to the single game elimination Knockout Rounds of the tournament.

Some of their young players looked hungrier than others.

Rockets young stars shine in gutsy win

Alperen Sengun looked like he hadn't eaten in a while.

He finished the game with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Sengun wasn't perfect - that's reflected in his 9/23 shooting from the field.

Down the stretch, Rudy Gobert and the Wolves had no answer for him anyway. This isn't the first time Sengun has flashed "the clutch gene". He carried the Rockets to victory after a rough shooting night.

That's all you can ask from a star player.

By contrast, Amen Thompson was consistent throughout this one. He had 15 points on 6/9 shooting, 8 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks. Thompson's defensive activity kept the Rockets in this contest all night.

So did Jabari Smith Jr.'s consistency. He had 19 points on 8/9 shooting from the field and 3/4 shooting from long-range.

In the early goings, the Rockets were making a concerted effort to get Smith Jr. involved. He was coming off of screens in curl actions to try to get open from long range. As the game persisted, Smith Jr. faded into the background.

Is that on Smith Jr. or coaching? It's hard to say, but in any case, Smith Jr. has been hyperefficient from the field recently. In this game, the Rockets' recent lottery picks made good on their draft positions:

Besides one.

Rockets' Green benched down the stretch

Jalen Green. Does it even need to be said?

Nine points on 3/9 shooting from the field. Green was benched down the stretch in favor of Thompson, with Ime Udoka sliding Dillon Brooks to the 2. That proved to be a more effective lineup.

Could that be a permanent move? Green's poor play this season could necessitate a change. The Rockets are now an impressive 13-6 despite getting consistently negative impact from the layer who was supposed to carry their rebuild. Perhaps it doesn't matter:

As long as these Rockets are winning, they seem content.