ROCKETS COME BACK TO BEAT PACERS
Combination of long-range shooting, defense extends winning streak
INDIANAPOLIS — Victor Oladipo, his star rising as one of the league’s most irrepressible offensive forces and reliable closers, was in the final half-minute with the ball and the Pacers’ chances in his hands.
The Rockets had relied on their defense all night, holding the Pacers within range until their 3-point touch returned to them. But now, with the Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd on its feet, the memory of Oladipo’s game-winner Saturday fresh, the Rockets needed two more stops with no doubt about the scorer coming at them.
When they got them, twice foiling Oladipo in the final minute, they topped the Pacers 98-94 on Monday night for their third consecutive win since taking a 1-5 record on the road, and doing it with their best victory of the season.
“It proves a lot for us,” center Clint Capela said. “We’re getting better. We stayed together all game long. It was a tough game, a really close game and we stayed locked in defensively. This is what we needed. This is the kind of game we have to be good at.”
They did it when James Harden switched onto Oladipo and smacked the ball from his grasp as he headed to the rim. Moments later, P.J. Tucker picked him up, refusing to allow a clean look at a 3-pointer to tie the game.
“When it was time to get stops,” Harden
said, “we did a really good job.”
With that, for the first time this season, the Rockets took a win in the closing seconds. In a triumph of 3and-D basketball, the players that had knocked down the Rockets’ final two 3pointers, twice putting them in front in the final 90 seconds, came up with the stops to shut the door.
Harden’s reliable 3s
Though most of the night, they could not hit their 3s with Carmelo Anthony, Gerald Green, Gary Clark, Chris Paul and Tucker a combined 4-of-23 from deep heading into the fourth quarter. Harden had made enough of his 3-pointers to help keep the game tight. When the Pacers switched big men on to him to contest his shots with length, he set up Capela with lobs.
Still, even with the Pacers — the seventh-rated offensive team in the NBA — limited to 69 points through three quarters, eventually the Rockets would have to make shots.
When Anthony and Paul started scoring in the fourth quarter, the defense took over. The Rockets went from a six-point deficit to a four-point lead heading into the final three minutes after a James Ennis III 3-pointer.
Oladipo tied the game with 1:26 left, but Tucker answered with a corner 3. Oladipo again tied the game, hitting from 26 feet out. But this time, Harden answered, taking his pass from Paul and moving sharply to his right before nailing his fifth 3-pointer.
Oladipo confounded
Oladipo got a step on Harden. But as Oladipo gathered to finish, Harden smacked the ball free.
“Obviously, Vic is a really, really great offensive player, a great player in general,” Harden said. “He got by me and I was trusting my guys to help me. I kept coming and was able to deflect the basketball. Vic made some tough shots, but when we needed a stop, we got it.”
After Paul made one of two free throws, Oladipo hit a 3-pointer from 4 feet beyond the line, cutting the lead to one with 24.7 seconds left. Harden’s free throws pushed the lead to three, moving the Rockets one stop from the win.
With that, Tucker would not let Oladipo free again, and never considered taking a two-shot foul with a three-point lead.
“I know I pride myself on getting stops,” Tucker said. “That’s my job and what I do. I knew I could make him take a tough shot. Coach lets me do it. I appreciate that.”
Rocky as much of the game had been, winning with defense again was a sign of progress.
Harden pledged the offense will come, but given the start of the season, winning with late-game stops was a step in the right direction.
“A couple games ago, we couldn’t guard a paper bag,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I told them in there, as long as we keep our spirit and the chemistry of the team we had last year, if we do that, we’re going to be fine, because we got some great closers and people that know how to win.”