For half a basketball game, the Houston Rockets were completely in sync, racking up a 26-point lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder within the first two quarters on Saturday. The Rockets led by 22 at halftime.
They were also outscored by 22 in the third quarter, Oklahoma City closing the gap on what appeared to be an early runaway. Houston would fight for a victory that never came, down to the game’s final moments, ultimately losing 117-112.
James Harden, who scored 42 points in the contest, seemed to be focused on the positives without letting himself or anyone else off the hook.
We did a pretty good job other than that third quarter. We just, offensively and defensively, we couldn’t get anything right. We allowed them too many points in transition, some of their role players like Dennis Schroder and (Terrance) Ferguson hit some big shots. You know, pretty good game for us except for that third quarter, so we just got to watch the film and continue to get better.
The Rockets’ primary problem was their inability to get stops, something that the team seems to struggle with in spurts. Credit where it’s due, Schroder had the hot hand, finishing with 17 points off the Oklahoma City bench, complementing Paul George’s game-high 45.
Houston’s next opportunity to retake control comes against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
