The Houston Rockets were far from perfect in Wednesday’s 114-107 loss (box score) at Indiana, headlined by another subpar shooting night from James Harden and allowing 60 points in the paint on defense.
Yet, the Rockets (2-4) still had a chance to beat a good team on the road, even with Malcolm Brogdon scoring 35 points and Domantas Sabonis adding 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers (6-2).
So, how did the Rockets stay within striking distance? The biggest reasons were fellow guards John Wall and Eric Gordon, who combined to score 48 points on 19-of-35 shooting (54.3%) from the field.
Even though he didn’t make a single 3-pointer, Wall led the Rockets with 28 points on 60% shooting. On his drives, the five-time All-Star showcased a lightning-quick first step to create separation followed by enough balance, strength, and skill to finish through traffic near the rim.
For Gordon, it was his third straight game to score 20 or more points. That represents his longest-such streak since a four-game run beginning in December 2018, more than two full years ago.
It wasn’t enough to get Houston a victory in Indiana, considering the strength of the opponent as well as Harden’s shooting struggles and the unexpected absence of Christian Wood. But if Wall and Gordon hold that form, better days could be ahead once the Rockets return to Houston — especially if Harden bounces back and Wood returns quickly.
The Rockets will host the upstart Orlando Magic (6-2) on Friday night at Toyota Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Central.
