Missed free-throws and turnovers… Sound familiar?
The Rockets would need a solid start to Game 4 if they were going to draw the series against the Golden State Warriors even at two games apiece. Four turnovers leading to an 13-2 in the first four minutes of the game, wasn’t going to get it done. After an Ime Udoka timeout it didn’t get much better as the Warriors immediately buried a three-pointer coming out of the break. However, the Rockets would go in an 11-4 run and looked like they would avoid the early route. The Rockets began to creep back into the game with their defense and paint scoring.
Jabari Smith Jr. came off the bench and gave the Rockets an offensive boost scoring 5 points, hitting both his shots. The Rockets were 3-of-5 from three-point territory in the quarter and they ended the quarter only down by two points 28-26. Turnovers would be the key to staying in the game.
The Rockets began the second quarter on an 8-3 run and would ultimately outscore the Warriors 31-22 in the quarter. The rockets shot 54.1 percent from the field in the first half including 63.6 percent from three-point land. They outrebounded the Warriors 21-16 and outscored them in the paint 24-8. Despite all that they only held a seven-point lead at the half due to shooting 10-of-16 from the free-throw line and the Warriors hitting nine three-pointers, even though they only shot 38.1 percent from the field.
The pace of the game favored the Rockets with multiple pauses in the game to review altercations, and they made a mess of the Warriors offense scoring 17 points off of 7 Warrior turnovers. After two quarters the rockets led 57-50.
The Warriors scored 13 straight points to open the third quarter. The Rockets wen 0-6 from the floor and hit one free throw before Ime Udoka was forced to take a timeout with the Rockets down by 10. The Rockets then scored seven straight points of their own, capped off with a Fred VanVleet three-pointer, which was his fifth of the game.
The Rockets missed more free-throws through three quarters than they did in Game 3, with 12 misses. Yet, Jabari Smith Jr. tied the game at 80 with a free-throw with less than 20 seconds to go. With eight seconds to go Tari Eason inexplicably fouled Jimmy Butler sending him to the line for two shots, which he made, giving the Warriors an 82-80 lead going into the final quarter.
Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun took over the game for the Rockets in the fourth quarter scoring the first 14 points of the quarter for them, but even with that and a heroic effort from Fred VanVleet who hit eight three-pointers, it would not be enough. After all the dust settled, despite outshooting the Warriors from the field, in the paint and from the three-point line, despite out-rebounding the Rockets attempt to take the lead with a Alperen Sengun drive and spinning hook-shot that fell off the rim and Jimmy Butler grabbed the rebound to get fouled and go to the line, making two free throws to put the Warriors up by three. Fred VanVleet would get a good look at a three to tie the game, going the length of the court with only 4.0 seconds to go in the game, and it came up short.
The Rockets lose Game 4 by a score of 109-106 to fall down in the series 3-1. The Houston Rockets missed 12 free-throws totaling 22 missed free throws in the last two games. Between that and turning the ball over 27 times in just as many games, it pretty much sums up why the Rockets find themselves on the brink of elimination.
Alperen Sengun had 31 points and 10 rebounds in 42 minutes played. Fred VanVleet scored 25 points on eight made three-pointers in 40 minutes. The elephant in the room was Jalen Green with another subpar performance with more turnovers than shots made. In only 24 minutes he scored 8 points on 3-of-8 shooting and turned the ball over 5 times.
The Rockets will try to avoid being eliminated on their home floor on Wednesday at 6:30 PM CST. The game will air on Space City Home Network, TNT, truTV, and can be streamed on MAX.