Rockets Fall Short in Crunch Time, Lose 116-109 to Raptors
Second-Winded. Failure to Close. Pawn’s Disease.
Houston strolled into Toronto sporting a newly minted win streak after ending their previous skid in Orlando on Monday night. And for a decent portion of Wednesday night’s battle, the Rockets appeared poised to notch their second consecutive win, a feat the squad’s yet to accomplish this season. After securing an 8-point edge after a blazing 37 points in the first quarter, the squad mustered only 17 points in the second frame, allowing the Raptors to outscore Houston by 11 points in the quarter, and take the halftime lead.
Despite trailing by as many as a dozen points in the second half, the Rockets fought back to tie the game at 86 early in the crucial fourth period. However, that’s the closest Houston would get to tasting victory. Turnovers, poor crunch-time execution, and too much Fred VanVleet allowed the Raptors to fend off Houston, dealing the Rockets a 116-109 loss. VanVleet led Toronto with 32 points, while OG Anunoby scored 29 points and dominated the paint for the dinos. Jalen Green led all Houston players with 21 points, but it was the Tari Eason late in the game on Wednesday night. Eason had his best game of his young career. The 17th pick in this year’s draft class was an energetic force for the Rockets, especially on defense and the offensive glass. The rookie contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on the evening. Jabari Smith Jr. secured a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 boards. Smith Jr. shot the ball more efficiently than in recent games, and committed only one turnover.
Stringing wins together. It’s been the unsolved case throughout the Stephen Silas era entering his third season as the Rockets head coach. Houston has struggled mightily to win consecutive games. I don’t remember the last time the Rockets recorded back-to-back victories. Is it some form of King’s Disease? Or more appropriately, Pawn’s Disease? As these Rockets have a long way to go to be considered the “Kings” of the NBA. Wins are always exciting, but a team with Houston’s youth and caliber needs to avoid feeling too proud after every victory. The Rockets committed 16 turnovers in Toronto, resulting in 31 fast break points for the Raptors. Toronto had 3 less turnovers, but only gave up nearly half (16) as many points in transition. The Raptors are simply a more experienced and talented team than Houston at the moment. The Rockets naturally let their guard down after victories, because wins have been few and far between over the last three years. It’s essential for the Rockets to find that seemingly elusive cure for Pawn’s Disease… if they want to develop a consistent winner’s mentality on a nightly basis.