Road Trip Ends with Crushing Loss in Cleveland, as Rockets Fall to Cavs, 135-130, in Overtime
Land of Heartbreak. The Green Problem. Change of Scenery.
In heartbreaking fashion, the Rockets lost another thriller on the road, falling to the Cavaliers, 135-130, in Overtime. Houston is now 0-2 in extra time this season, and the loss gives the Rockets a 2-10 record on the road. The squad had a chance to win the game in regulation, but one of Alperen Sengun’s signature “Flamingo’s” rimmed out as time expired, forcing overtime. Cleveland took over in the extra frame, as Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points to lead the Cavs. Going back two seasons, Cleveland has now won 11 straight overtime games, a streak that’s hard to fathom. Fred VanVleet was tremendous with 27 points and 17 assists to lead the Rockets. Sengun registered a solid 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 dimes, as he’s continues pushing for his first All-Star bid, as voting started on Tuesday. Jeff Green continues to be a revelation off the bench in limited minutes. Uncle Jeff scored 15 points, and Houston always seems to play better when he’s on the court.
As for Jalen Green, the Rockets third-year guard continues to struggle mightily with his efficiency. Green scored only 12 points on 2-for-12 shooting, another ugly shooting night for the swingman. Green needs to turn his performance around, or Ime Udoka may even consider a lineup change. There’s a reason Green has been benched in several fourth quarters and late in games. He just hasn’t made the leap or had the breakout season many people expected from him this season. Houston gets a break as they play a bunch of games at home coming up, and Jalen has been much better at Toyota Center as opposed to the road. Maybe a change of scenery will get his game back on track.
The Rockets came out much sharper in Cleveland as opposed to Milwaukee, and played well enough to win this game. However, missed free throws down the stretch was Houston’s achilles’ heal in this loss, along with careless turnovers. The squad was one Sengun Flamingo away from escaping with a win, but basketball is a game of seconds, and every single one counts. Houston now returns home, where they’ll play 9 of their next 10 games at Toyota Center. The Rockets have been dominant at home, with an 11-1 record, the best in the Western Conference. Hopefully, a return to the friendly confines of The Yote will allow the squad to get back on track.