Rockets Fall To Cavaliers In Blowout Loss
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HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets have had their share of struggles containing prominent offensive players this season. And Wednesday's contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers gave the Rockets a double dose.
Darius Garland and Evan Mobley scored a combined 47 points in the Rockets' 113-95 loss to the Cavaliers inside the Toyota Center. Garland led the way with 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting and nine assists, while Mobley added 21 points (6-of-17 FG, 9-of-10 FT) and 10 rebounds.
A driving layup by Josh Christopher with 11 minutes and 37 seconds left in the first quarter gave the Rockets their only lead of the night at 2-0. Caris Levert assisted Mobley with his first basket on Cleveland's next possession, and the Rockets never regained the lead.
Houston trailed Cleveland 37-25 entering the second quarter. And by halftime, the Rockets found themselves in a 26-point deficit (74-48).
The Rockets had five players who scored in double-figures. Tari Eason came off the bench and scored a team-high 18 points. K.J. Martin, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun each added 14.
Jalen Green, who recorded a career-high 42 points Monday night, scored a season-low six points on 2-of-9 shooting, 2-of-6 from behind the arc.
Josh Christopher's first career start:
Eric Gordon was a late-game scratch due to right knee soreness, and his absence provided Josh Christopher an opportunity to receive his first career start. He played a season-high 28 minutes and added six points and three assists.
Coach Stephen Silas said Gordon's knee had been giving him problems over the previous few games. His status for Saturday's contest against the Detroit Pistons is unknown.
With limited ball handlers, the Rockets failed to take care of the ball:
The absence of Gordon, Kevin Porter Jr., and Jae'Sean Tate limited the number of playmakers the Rockets had on the court. The lack of ball handlers led to the Rockets committing 22 turnovers, which led to 40 additional points for Cleveland.
The Rockets sidelined Tate due to right ankle management, while Porter missed his eighth consecutive game due to a left foot contusion.
Up Next:
The Rockets will hit the road on Saturday to take on the Detroit Pistons inside Little Caesars Arena. They will then return to the Toyota Center to play four of their next five games at home, which begins with a match against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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