Taking it on the chin
Inconsistent play and tepid offense allow Memphis to deliver KO
The Rockets were 3-0, but they knew the offense, the key to so much they hope to be, was failing them.
They were up 11 with 7½ minutes remaining Monday, but they knew their attack remained fragile, unable to withstand a hard hit.
The Rockets were a few made baskets from beating the Memphis Grizzlies. But even with a home-court lead, the offense was so unreliable it had not protected double-digit leads all night. So when the Grizzlies made their move, the Rockets’ shaky offense collapsed and Memphis blew past to stun the Rockets 98-90 at Toyota Center.
The offense, struggling even through their three wins to open the season, had been propped up much
of the night by the backcourt scoring from James Harden and Eric Gordon. When that failed, too, the Rockets were outscored 23-4 to close the game, with the Rockets scoring their fewest points in their two seasons under Mike D’Antoni.
“We just got stagnant,” said Harden, who had 22 points and eight assists, but two points with one assist in the fourth quarter. “Our bodies weren’t popping and moving like we normally do. We didn’t make shots, obviously. They played pretty good defense, obviously, but we just didn’t have pop.”
3-pointers off
Harden said the Rockets got the shots they want but “just didn’t make them.”
But in four games this season, the Rockets have made just 27.5 percent of their 3s, ranking 29th in the NBA. Only two other teams have attempted as many 3s as the Rockets have missed.
With the Grizzlies switching screens, the cold-shooting Rockets were often left to try contested shots from deep, making just 9-of-38. Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson were a combined 1-of-8, falling to 10-of-42 for the season.
When Harden and Gordon misfired in the second half, the Rockets had little left, making just 12 of 39 (30.8 percent) shots, and just 3 of 24 (12.5 percent) of their 3s.
D’Antoni’s take on loss
“Obviously, we forced some up,” D’Antoni said. “Some were good (shots) and didn’t go in. We have to improve. We have to get better. I knew it was going to be a tough game because we haven’t been playing well.
“In the first half, I thought, ‘Well, OK, here we go.’ We just ran out of steam. They got into us.”
The Rockets led 86-75 with 7½ minutes left when Gordon hit a 3-pointer. He took a seat and the offense shut down. Harden finished a drive and tossed a lob to Clint Capela, but those were the only Rockets baskets of the final 7½ minutes.
Memphis tied the game on a Mike Conley 3 with 2:46 remaining. Moments later, Harden and Mario Chalmers were tangled up, with Chalmers clamping Harden’s left leg in between his legs and Harden shoving Chalmers.
After a video review, Harden was called for an offensive foul and doubletechnical fouls were assessed.
The Grizzlies’ James Ennis III finished a threepoint play to put the Grizzlies ahead to stay.
“We were up the whole game,” said Gordon, who had 27 points with seven assists. “We made a couple mistakes, played a little lackadaisical. Us as players, we just need to step forward and do better. They put pressure on the ball-handler. It was almost like one-on-one. We had it going early. We just didn’t sustain that good effort toward the end of the game.
“That shows us we can do better.
“We’ll get there.”
Offense in a bind
But the Rockets head to a three-game road trip that ends against the Grizzlies in the second half of a back-to-back with their offense far from their standard.
The Rockets defended the Grizzlies well, holding them to 42.6 percent shooting, showing the improvement that had taken them to their 3-0 record.
But against the ultraaggressive Memphis defense, they could not count on the one thing that since last season started they could count on most.
“We’ll be fine,” D’Antoni said. “I’m not worried about how they guard us. We haven’t played well.”