The Houston Rockets will try to tighten up their defense when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon.
The Rockets rank among the top 10 in opponents’ scoring (108.9 points allowed per game) and defensive field-goal percentage (45.4), yet it didn’t look that way Friday when they were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After trailing by 29 points in the second quarter, the Rockets walked away with a 126-107 defeat. Houston had won four of its previous five games with the lone loss in that stretch coming in overtime last weekend against the Golden State Warriors.
“That’s what’s disappointing about it,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “I felt like we were back on our heels. (Shai) Gilgeous-Alexander and (Chet) Holmgren, and to some extent Jalen Williams, got whatever they wanted a little too easily. Credit to them. They have some good one-on-one players and they beat our one-on-one defense.”
Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points while going 11-for-16 from the field. Holmgren also scored 29 points in 29 minutes and Williams tossed in 14 points while making 7 of 11 shots. Overall, the Rockets watched the Thunder to shoot 51.1 percent from the field and forced just 10 turnovers.
“Our communication wasn’t great, also our physicality,” Rockets center Steven Adams said. “They were very comfortable out there. So, we need to get up into them. They were being physical with us, and we’re kind of just going through like the motions. You’re kind of caught like a shootaround, like you’re just going through the play.”
Houston was outscored 44-20 in the second quarter.
“Couldn’t get stops and failed to score,” Udoka said. “Minus-24 in that quarter. To give up 44 in a quarter, you’ve got to at least get it back on the other end and keep it close.”
The game on Sunday is the front end of a back-to-back for the Rockets, who have won their last five matchups with the Pistons. They return home to face the Washington Wizards on Monday.
Houston has shown a versatile offense with seven players averaging double figures. The Pistons are more reliant on star Cade Cunningham (22.8 points per gam), although they do have four other double-digit scorers among an improved supporting cast this season.
Detroit has won three of its last four games and Cunningham carries a streak of three consecutive triple-doubles into Sunday’s contest. He had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists in a 122-121 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
The Pistons led by 24 in the first half, then gave away the lead during crunch time. Cunningham scored the game-winner on a running hook shot with 8.5 seconds remaining, then made a game-saving block to preserve the victory.
“He’s the guy. He has the ability to be the guy on an elite basketball team because of all the things he’s capable of doing,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He can manipulate the game. He can score, he makes his teammates better, he rebounds. He’s proven that he can defend and make defensive plays as well.”
The Pistons were coming off a one-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets that was decided on a last-second tip-in. Cunningham prevented another heartbreaking defeat.
“In spurts, we were awesome,” Bickerstaff said. “In other spurts, we were the opposite of that. But the guys stayed together throughout the whole thing and just figured out a way down the stretch to make the plays to win the game. We just made one more play than they did.”
