Garrison Mathews confidence on the court started on the football field

On Wednesday night, the Houston Rockets finally ended their 15-game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Bulls 118-113. As the streamers were falling from the rafters, reserve guard Garrison Mathews stayed on the court and took in all the cheers from his teammates and fans.

It was Mathews’s heroics, late in the fourth quarter, that helped Houston seal their second victory of the season. With 25.5 seconds left, Mathews floated into the corner and received a pass from Christian Wood and without hesitation, he hit the shot to put the Rockets up by four points. His teammates and coaches were as excited as he was celebrating as the Bulls called a timeout.

“When you have shooters on the floor it’s a big difference-maker from the way they pack in the defense,” said Mathews, who scored five of the last seven points in the game.

After being called up by the Rockets from their G-League affiliate, Mathews has been ready and available whenever coach Silas inserts him into the game.

He will see his playing time increase due to the hamstring injury suffered by rookie Jalen Green during the first quarter of the game on Wednesday that will keep him out for at least a week.

The Rockets’ coaching staff knows that Mathews is a dangerous shooter. Yet, it is his defense that has won over his teammates as well. His ability to draw charges to give the Rockets an extra possession stands out on film. It even impressed his teammate Jae’Sean Tate, who has been known for doing the dirty work on the defensive end for Houston.

“He is giving me a run for my money,” Tate said after practice when informed that Mathews leads the team in charges taken this season. “His energy and effort he has been playing with, I am happy for him. A guy that comes on to a team a couple of weeks ago and finds his role and is succeeding in it.”

That success didn’t always come easy for the dual-sport Tennessee native who had dreams of playing in the NFL growing up. The former high school wide receiver/tight end focused solely on basketball after receiving a scholarship to Lipscomb University.

His hard work and dedication paid off as he led the Bisons to the NCAA Tournament in his junior year, which was a first for the university. Mathews followed that up his senior year with a runner-up finish at the 2019 NIT and was voted, Atlantic Sun Player of the Year.

Matthew, 24, went undrafted but was able to earn a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards. Once he was released at the end of the 2021 season, Mathews signed with the Boston Celtics, who waived him at the end of training camp, and the Rockets signed him in October.

“He is a good shooter, he takes charges on defense, is in the right place on defense, and has a toughness about him that is needed for our group,” said Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.

Houston will take on the Charlotte Hornets Saturday at the Toyota Center. The tip-off is at 7 p.m. CST.