Rockets Fizzle Late in 131-127 Loss to 76ers
Close the Show. Missing Pieces. Turn the Page.
Houston led by as many as eleven points on Friday night, and at one point seemed poised to snap their two game skid. Philly’s Tyrese Maxey had other plans, as he scored 42 points to help the Sixers deal the Rockets a 131-127 loss over the weekend. The defeat is Houston’s third straight. In a very odd statistic, the Rockets have lost all their games in groups of three. They haven’t had a losing streak over three games, but they’ve had several three game skids. Houston’s latest loss was unfortunate and frustrating. The Rockets played a Sixers team minus the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid, yet Houston failed to capitalize on his absence. The squad even had three guys (VanVleet, Green. and Sengun) score at least 28 points. But the Rockets just couldn’t stop Maxey, nor hold their second-half lead, as the Sixers fended off Houston in the final moments of the contest.
Fred VavVleet led the Rockets with 33 points. Jalen Green scored 31 in his second consecutive solid outing. And Alperen Sengun added 28 as he continues his push for an All-Star bid this season. Losing games like Friday against Philly won’t help Sengun’s All-Star chances. Houston is now 2-6 in their last eight games. They need to snap out of their funk, and they need to find a way without Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. who were both sorely missed in the loss to the Sixers. There’s no timetable for either player’s return to action, although neither injury is considered serious. They’ll be back, but for now, the Rockets need to learn how to close the show. Houston held a double-digit second half lead, but once again they surrendered their advantage, as the defense continues to be porous for this Rockets team. the majority of Houston’s wins have come in games around the 100-110 mark. The Rockets are best when their defensive intensity is at its highest, and when the squad lets opponents score 120 or more points, it’s usually a recipe for a Houston loss.
This was the final game of 2023 for the Rockets, who will now have the rare two days off, before starting 2024 with a New Year’s Day matchup against the Pistons. Detroit recently broke their NBA-record 28-game losing streak, defeating the short-handed Toronto Raptors in their previous game on Saturday. Houston will aim to avoid what would be their worst loss of the season, as they host the Pistons on Monday with a chance to snap their own three-game skid. Despite not having Embiid, the Sixers showed why they’re one of the best teams in the NBA this season. Detroit won’t present the same challenge, but the Rockets need to still show them the proper respect. Houston needs to turn the page on 2023, which is officially in the books. Hopefully, the Rockets can regain that swagger they had earlier this season to start the new year.