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HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets (10-26) ended 2022 with a 108-88 loss to the New York Knicks (19-18) inside the Toyota Center. Here are his three takeaways from the Rockets’ New Year’s Eve Saturday night loss.
Turnover is again a big issue.
Coach Stephen Cyrus entered the game believing the Rockets had turned a corner in a struggling turnover early in the season.
Houston averaged 13.7 turnovers during the three-game trip. But against the Knicks, the Rockets fell back.
“The turnovers were okay before the game tonight, but tonight it was all about the turnovers,” Cyrus said. “You have to understand the importance of possession. If you flip the ball over and over, you’re not getting enough shots to win the game.
The Rockets tallied 25 turnovers and the Knicks scored another 37 points.
Cyrus attributes unseen decision-making, floor spacing and mental lapses to Houston’s failure to handle the ball. He also acknowledged that the absence of Alperen Sengan made it more difficult for the Rockets to avoid careless mistakes.
From the lack of discipline guarding Julius Randle, who ended the game with 16 free-throw attempts, to the aggressive collapse the Rockets sustained after an impressive first quarter.
Cyrus noticed other traits that led to the Rockets’ loss. But he kept ranting about the number of turnovers Houston amassed overnight.
“If you get rid of the turnovers, you’ll probably win that game,” Kevin Porter Jr. said. “It was a good game defensively halfway through the third quarter, then I got away with a turnover in the fourth quarter.”
Cold shooting after hot start:
Much of the Rockets’ offensive struggles came from their inability to handle the ball. However, their three-point shooting struggle played a prominent role in Houston’s three-game losing streak.
The Rockets started the night on the verge of setting up a season-high 3-point field goal.
Houston connected on 8 of their first 12 attempts from behind the arc in the first quarter. By the final buzzer, however, the Rockets had only six more triples to go for the rest of the night while shooting 17.6% of his.
“We got the shot we wanted, and it was just one game with the rim,” Porter said. “KJ [Martin] Had great shots going in and out. I will try to shoot better next time. ”
Improved migration defenses:
Houston’s improved transition defense may have been the only silver lining. Despite the Knicks recording 10 steals, the Rockets only gave up nine fast-break points.
The Rockets’ transition defense against the Knicks has improved significantly after averaging 24.5 fast-break points over the past two games.
The Knicks arrived in Houston averaging 13.3 fast break points.
Cyrus had a 30-minute film session after Friday afternoon’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets have done a great job applying the lessons he learned.
“Defending during the transition was much better,” Cyrus said. “We wanted them to be a half-court team.
Best performance:
Kevin Porter Jr. is in tears since the Rockets’ away win against the Chicago Bulls. He has averaged 25.0 points and 9.0 assists over his last three games and continued to impress against the Knicks.
Porter finished the night with two assists short of a triple-double. He had a team-high 23 points (7-for-12 FG, 4-for-8 3-pointers), 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Worst Performance:
Jaylen Green delivered a performance that I hope to keep in 2022. He scored his 16 points on 4-of-12 shooting and accounted for his 5 of his 25 turnovers for Houston.
Green’s play against the Knicks was a huge disappointment. That he scored his 10 points in the first quarter and that he connected on three of his first four attempts from the field and shot his 2/3rds from behind the arc. Considering.
Finally:
“You can’t turn the ball over like that in an NBA game and you can’t win…I hate to say it’s about young teams. But in a way, it is.” — Steven Cyrus
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter @CotyDavis_24
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