Houston halts their win streak at three games as they conclude West Coast road trip.
This game had some playoff implications, but at the end of the day, Houston wasn’t able to clinch their official playoff spot. While there’s no doubt in my mind that they will, a loss to the Lakers gives a lot less leeway for the Rockets to lose anymore games if they want to maintain the two seeding in the West. But, with that said, let’s get into the game itself.
In the first quarter of this one, there was about little to no offense whatsoever. After a strong start by Sengun, scoring six points within the first three minutes, nothing much happened after for the Rockets. Only scoring 19 points on 32% from the field and 27% from three, Houston evened it out on the defensive end, giving up a mere 16 points to a team that boasts of LeBron James and Luka Doncic. But, the sloppy first quarter turned out to be a slow start for Houston that would return here and there as the game went on.
To say the second quarter of the game was a complete 180 from the first wouldn’t be too far off, because that’s what it honestly was. After shooting a combined 28% in the first quarter, the second was more of the usual that you see in a typical NBA game, as the FG% jumped up to 54.5%. Even without any attempted free throws either, the Rockets scored 48 points in the half, and after a strong second quarter, increased their shooting splits to 47% and 35%. The only issue however was the turnovers by the Rockets, and being unable to stop the Lakers three ball. Giving up six threes in the quarter to the Lakers, three of which coming from Gabe Vincent, Houston allowed 32 second quarter points, bringing it to half tied at 48 a piece. And while I don’t like to bash on refs too much, the fact that there were ZERO free throws rewarded to Houston in the first half just doesn’t sit right by me.
The third quarter was a bit of a different story though, as the refs finally woke up and made calls against the Lakers, giving Houston it’s first free throws of the contest. Shooting a total of eight FTs in the third, the Rockets were able to make seven, each of them important. However, outside of that, there wasn’t a lot of great shooting coming from Houston. Shooting just 40% from the floor and 25% from three as well as three turnovers, the Rockets were outmatched offensively by the Lakers in the third. Allowing seven threes, five being from either DFS or Gabe Vincent, Houston’s defense struggled to prevent the Lakers from scoring in any sense. Even with a bad quarter though, Houston only trailed 77-82 heading into the fourth.
Trailing by five isn’t much, especially in the NBA, but with poor shooting, the lead is a whole lot harder to come back from. Which to not much shock, was exactly the issue Houston faced against the Lakeshow. Going back to the first quarter in terms of how each team performed, the fourth was very much a defensive quarter. Each team shooting under 35% from the field and under 30% from three, offense was about nonexistent here. But, somehow even in a defensive game, the refs found a way to ruin it. Following a Tari Eason dunk in which he yelled at his own bench, Eason was T’d up, changing a two point game immediately to five after FT’s. Getting close multiple times within a one possession game, it would be costly turnovers and missed shots/FTs that would ultimately lose the game for the Rockets. With a 98-104 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets now only sit a game and a half over Denver for the two seed with seven games to go.
Key performers in the game against the Lakers were Amen Thompson who provided 20 points as well as five rebounds and four stocks. Sengun had himself a solid night (14-7-6), but went quiet in the fourth quarter. Jabari played decent also, getting a 15-11 double double coming off the bench as well as shooting the ball efficiently. It’d be poor performances from both Jalen Green and FVV that would hurt Houston the most though as they got little to no guard help in this one.
Next up, the Houston Rockets face the Utah Jazz back at home following the three game road trip in what should be hopefully, a Rockets dub.