Roadblock: Pistons Outdrive Rockets 113-100, as Houston Loses 19th Straight Game
Bitten Again. Misery Index. Opportunity Awaits.
It can’t get much more miserable for the Houston Rockets. They lost their franchise record-19th straight game. To the worst team in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons. Detroit cruised past Houston, 113-100, in another double-digit loss for the Rockets. John Wall led Houston with 21 points in his return from injury. Christian Wood scored 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. However, the most important footnote out of this game is the status of Kevin Porter Jr. KPJ went down early with a quad injury, and is listed as out without a certain timetable for a return. Porter finished with 2 points in only 10 minutes of action for the Rockets. Houston will be cautious with one of the centerpieces of their future in KPJ, and be sure not to rush the promising youngster back until he’s ready.
Along with their historic 19-game skid, the Rockets have lost 12 straight games by double-figures, tying the 1992-1993 Dallas Mavericks for the NBA record. Houston isn’t just losing, they’re not even visible late in these games as the opponent’s lead has grown too large to overcome. The Rockets have to snap out of the worst funk in franchise history. Getting hit with the injury bug again, a parasite that’s lived in Houston this entire season, certainly doesn’t help matters. But the Rockets will try and take advantage of playing another subpar team when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon.
Maybe a day game will get Houston back on track. It’s certainly an opportunity the Rockets need to grab hold of. The Raptors will be in town on Monday night, a much better team than OKC. If the Rockets want to end the skid, their best chance is Sunday afternoon. One hopes this team will eventually snap out of their funk, or if they’re just completely fading, in hopes of landing Cade Cunningham in the draft. Will the Misery Index continue? We’ll find out on Sunday.