Sad to see Michelle Alozie leave Houston, though she should get more playing time in Chicago (on defense, it appears). It was a treat to shadow Alozie at Texas Children’s Hospital for this story on her dual careers as a soccer star and cancer researcher: www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports...

WNBA players vote to strike if CBA negotiations remain at standstill www.usatoday.com/story/sports... via @usatodaysports.usatoday.com

This week, FIFA announced record prize money for the 2026 men's world cup -- which also matters to the USWNT. Why? Because of the women's national team CBA and a target set by FIFA's president: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Sherrone Moore appeared via video and barely spoke at his arraignment hearing on Friday, where he was ordered by a judge to continue mental health treatment after he allegedly threatened self-harm at the home of a Michigan staffer. Story (TW self-harm): www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Scandal after scandal after scandal. Michigan AD Warde Manuel might not have done anything wrong, but he fostered the environment that allowed and encouraged others to. He also needs to go.

NFL clubs voted at league meetings today to invest up to $32M in a pro flag football league. The NFL has been an important partner in growing flag, which is why @usafootball.bsky.social is holding talent ID camps in NFL markets to recruit for the 2028 Olympic teams: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

For my first @usatodaysports.usatoday.com story, I went to a USA Football talent ID camp to learn how officials are scouring the country for flag football athletes with Olympic potential – building a pipeline while preparing for LA 2028 www.usatoday.com/story/sports...

Find out live who the USMNT and soccer's best teams will face in the 2026 World Cup.

📰 USA Today Motocross quietly becomes deadliest sport for kids, USA TODAY finds ⟶ USA Today | headline in context

Excited to share that today is my first day at @usatoday.com as a national sports enterprise reporter. I’ll write features and investigations about all sports – stories that cover the heartwarming, corrupt and weird. Email [email protected] with tips, story ideas and dad jokes.

Thanks for following along and reading. Really, it means the world. Please support local journalism and be kind to one another. See ya on the flip side. – 30 –

Alperen Şengün: “Today, if I played the same way I played in the first half, I know we're gonna watch a film next day with Ime. So I just don't want to lose. I just got to get back. I know this team needs me, so I got to do whatever it takes to win.”

Initial game story from the Rockets’ OT win over the Magic/ my obituary www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Of course it's overtime for my last game. Why not?

With 2:50 remaining in the game, Durant’s 3-pointer just gave the Rockets their first lead since 4-3 in the first quarter. It's 95-94 now. Strap in.

END 3Q: Rockets 77, Magic 80. Houston has been knocking on the door but Orlando always manages to pull away. The Rockets just have to take care of the ball and make some shots under the basket.

Fifth turnover of the game for Kevin Durant. He and Alperen Sengun have combined for nine of Houston's 11 turnovers.

HALFTIME: Rockets 46, Magic 55. The Rockets cut the deficit to two points a couple of times, but the Magic are raining 3s and crowding the paint on defense. Houston has more turnovers (6) than 3-pointers (3, all from the bench). Kevin Durant has 15 pts, Reed Sheppard 10 pts.

END 1Q: Rockets 23, Magic 30. Orlando shot 5-of-9 from deep and has five blocks. The Rockets’ offense looked best in transition but they shot just 40.7% from the field and are 0-for-3 from deep.

The Rockets subbed in Aaron Holiday in what is normally Tari Eason's spot. Holiday got the bulk of Eason's minutes in the second half last game.

Same Rockets starters vs. Magic tonight: Thompson, Okogie, Durant, Smith, Sengun

My story on the #Magic ruling guard Jalen Suggs OUT ahead of tonight’s game at Houston due to a sore right groin: www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/16/o...

Rockets coach Ime Udoka on Tari Eason's injury: "It was a freak accident, got hit at a weird angle. So that part is unfortunate, no doubt. He'll be back sooner than later, so good news overall that he's not missing the season like (Bradley) Beal." www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Tari Eason has a strained oblique and will be out 4-6 weeks, Rockets coach Ime Udoka just told us after practice.

The Rockets are averaging an NBA-best 125.5 ppg with a dynamic offense predicated on balanced scoring from multiple players. Kevin Durant: “The great teams got multiple attacks. They can score in the half court, transition, offensive rebounding, they can score in multiple ways.”

Alperen Şengün came one assist short of a triple-double as the Rockets turned defense into offense and rolled over the Trail Blazers for their first NBA Cup win www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Rockets coach Ime Udoka didn’t have an update on Tari Eason (right hip contusion) postgame (this isn’t unusual, he’ll probably get more info tomorrow after season has been examined)

That's 15 steals for the Rockets, a season high

After Sharpe dunked on Smith and stared him down, Smith responded by nailing a 3-pointer over Sharpe and talked back to him. Fun matchup here.

Tari Eason is out with a right hip contusion for the remainder of the game

HALFTIME: Rockets 69, Blazers 60. Jabari Smith Jr. came up big with 10 points in the second quarter and the Rockets stepped up their effort on the boards. Hopefully Tari Eason is OK after leaving with an apparent injury.

END 1Q: Rockets 41, Trail Blazers 32. Interesting dynamic as both teams are kind of getting beaten at their own game. Houston has three steals and seven points off turnovers against a steal-hungry Portland team, but the Blazers are leading 8-3 in second-chance points.

Ime Udoka says Rockets starters remain the same tonight vs. Portland: Thompson, Okogie, Durant, Smith, Sengun. Says that while Portland is an aggressive team with good isolation scorers, the Rockets should be able to get an advantage by attacking the offensive glass per usual.

The Rockets’ NBA Cup court is here

The Rockets’ practice soundtrack is an audible gumbo of musical artists: Gunna, the Isley Brothers and Metallica all mixing in the same pot. Throw in some Afrobeat and jazz on occasion, too. It started with assistant coach Josh Bostic, the team’s vibe-setter www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Alperen Şengün talked this morning about Tiago Splitter's impact on his career as he prepares to face the former Rockets assistant and now Blazers acting head coach for the first time. Story: www.rosegardenreport.com/hes-like-a-b...

Every year I'm in awe of the @houstonchronicle.com food team's Top 100 restaurants, and this year is no different. Love that you can mark which places you've already dined at and save a wish list. www.houstonchronicle.com/project/top-...

"He taught me a lot when he was here. He was my brother," Alperen Şengün said of Tiago Splitter. More here: www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Free throw practice contracts paying off for Steven Adams (Story: www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...)

When I post clips of Rockets practice, a lot of you ask, who’s on the aux? The answer is usually assistant coach Josh Bostic, the unofficial team DJ. Bostic let me in on his playlist process and why he’s passing the torch to another Rockets staffer: www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

Typical Rockets injury report for Friday vs. Blazers. VanVleet and Finney-Smith out. Out for Portland: Javonte Cooke, Scoot Henderson, Damian Lillard, Matisse Thybulle, Blake Wesley, Yang Hansen.

Really touching story by @jonmalexander.bsky.social on former Texans center Justin Britt (MIZ!) and how he uses running to combat his depression and inspire others struggling with their mental health www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texan...

On Reed Sheppard, who in his growing role with the Rockets is taking advantage of the gravity created by Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun and also feeding off confidence instilled by his teammates: www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

On Reed Sheppard, who in his growing role with the Rockets is taking advantage of the gravity created by Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun and also feeding off confidence instilled by his teammates: www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

By the way, tonight was Ime Udoka's 100th win in his 174 games with the Rockets. According to Rockets PR, Udoka is the fourth coach in franchise history to have at least 100 wins within the first 175 games with the team (joining Mike D’Antoni, Rudy Tomjanovich, Rick Adelman).

Reed Sheppard: “Amen told me in the weight room just a minute ago, he said, ‘But if you take one more dribble when you're open and there’s no shooting, I’m gonna punch you in the face.’”

Houston Rockets romp past NBA-worst Washington Wizards thanks to bench production from Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rocke...

END 3Q: Rockets 103, Wizards 87. The Rockets were outscored 33-22 in the third quarter and committed six turnovers, leading to nine Wizards points.

HALFTIME: Rockets 81, Wizards 54. Houston closes its highest-scoring half this season on a 20-6 run. The Rockets have 20 assists on 30 field goals, have four players in double figures and are outrebounding the Wizards 33-14. Blood bath.

Reed Sheppard is 1-of-4 behind the arc so far, but he's been much more aggressive getting inside the 3-point line and driving to the hoop. He's 3-of-6 from the field with seven points in 10 minutes.