Houston Rockets Sustain Overtime Loss to Cleveland Cavaliers
The Houston Rockets dropped their second consecutive game in a 135-130 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. With the loss, the Rockets ended their three-game road trip with a 1-2 record.
Fred VanVleet had one of his most impressive games since joining the Rockets as a free agent in July. He finished the game with 27 points on 9 of 19 shooting, 17 assists and eight rebounds.
VanVleet drilled a triple with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter. His 3-point field goal brought the Rockets within a point (120-119), and within the closing minutes, Houston picked up their intensity on both ends to send the game into overtime. Unfortunately for Houston, the Cavaliers began the extra period on a 6-2 run.
Alperen Şengün finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists. He missed a potential game-winning basket at the end of regulation. Dillon Brooks added 16 points in the loss.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 13-4 lead early in the first quarter and appeared on the verge of running the Rockets off their home court. However, Jeff Green gave the Rockets a significant boost off the bench for the second consecutive night.
He scored 10 of his 15 points during the first quarter, which led to Houston holding a 34-33 lead entering the second period.
The Rockets and Cavaliers remained even in the second period, which led to Houston holding a 61-57 lead entering the half. Despite the Rockets finding their groove during the second period, the Cavaliers began to pick up their offensive production to open the third quarter.
Donovan Mitchell scored 20 of his 37 points during the period. His play resulted in the Cavaliers scoring 42 points in the quarter. Sam Merrill came off the bench and added 19 points on 5 of 10 shooting from behind the arc.
Dec 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives against Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Another missed game for Amen Thompson:
Rookie guard Amen Thompson has had a hard time trying to stay on the court. Thompson missed his third consecutive game due to an illness. However, by sitting out against the Cavaliers, it marked the 18th time Thompson has been sidelined. He missed 15 straight games due to a Grade 2 ankle injury.
Up Next:
The Rockets will return to the Toyota Center for a quick two-game homestand, starting by welcoming the Atlanta Hawks to Houston on Wednesday night. They will then take on the Dallas Mavericks for their second meeting of the season. Tip-off between the Rockets and Hawks is slated for 7:00 p.m. CDT.
