Turnovers, poor execution prove undoing

A 20-point lead in the first half on Friday afforded the Rockets hope that they could start their first win streak of the season. By the end, another huge lead was surrendered. Another close game slipped away.

The 99-91 loss to the Pacers contained for the Rockets (3-13) a harsh reminder: Old habits die hard.

“Execution and less turnovers. I think that's the biggest thing for us right now,” guard Jalen Green said. “It seems to be a repetitive thing every game, so I think that'll be it.”

Friday was the Rockets' lowest-scoring, worst shooting (33.7 percent), worst 3-point shooting (21.4 percent) and fewest assists (15) game of the season.

The Rockets have recorded at least 20 turnovers five times in their last seven games, including a season-high 26 in New Orleans last week. Friday was not one of those instances. But the 17 giveaways they committed against the Pacers magnified what boiled down to an inability to make shots.

The Rockets made fewer than 42 percent of their shots for the first time since Oct. 31, when they shot 38.6 percent from the field in a loss to the Clippers. In the paint, Houston shot 20-for-51.

“The paint finishing was, like, the main thing to me,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “It wasn't like we weren't running the right plays. It wasn't like we weren't getting the ball to the right spot. It wasn't like we weren't getting the ball to the front of the rim. We just weren't making the shots that could carry us over the hump.”

At first, the Rockets cleaned up on the boards and feasted on paint points when the Pacers couldn't make shots in the first quarter and some of the second quarter. When the tables turned, though, the Rockets couldn't hang on.

The second half was, Rockets guard Eric Gordon said, “the complete opposite” of the first.

“We didn't score enough and defensively we were a totally different team,” Gordon said. “They started knocking down shots and we got a little discombobulated, and they made a lot of big runs. We just didn't score enough and get enough stops.”

Houston was without starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr., who sat out with a sore back. Silas acknowledged that the Rockets' offense, which typically depends on having multiple ballhandlers on the floor, suffered without that at times, even as Gordon and Green played downhill.

In Silas' view, Green's team-high six turnovers were the result of the second-year guard attempting to take initiative and make the right plays.

The Rockets have recorded more turnovers than assists in four games this season. Their record in those games is 1-3.

Even after the Pacers took the lead late in the third quarter, the Rockets had a good chance to win. Their defense held an opponent to under 100 points for a second straight game. They drew fouls to get to the free-throw line for 32 attempts, 12 in the fourth quarter. They frequently rebounded their own missed shots.

In the fourth quarter, Houston went 5-for-20 from the field with four assists and four turnovers. Within the final six minutes, the Rockets missed 10 of their last 12 shots. Five of the misses were inside 7 feet.

“I think we got a little too comfortable with that 20-point lead,” Green said. “Coach said it best: When the game is on the line, just as important as how we got up is keeping the lead, too.”