Lack of Clutch Play has Been Primary Issue for Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have dropped in the Western Conference standings with their inconsistent struggles, but some of their losses have been preventable. The Rockets were in a position to come out with wins in many games this season, but failed to finish the job.

It's come back to hurt them now. The loss against the Chicago Bulls on Monday was tough because the Rockets came all the way back to take the lead in the fourth quarter after being down 22 points at one instance. It was a failed comeback that required a high level of effort. It didn't even result in a win.

The Rockets were in position to close it out after an impressive rally and let it go. The reality was if the Rockets played better early on, it may not have come down to the end. However, it did and Houston was yet again not able to close the deal. This isn't a new story for the team. It's repeatedly plagued the Rockets. The lack of execution at times in the fourth quarter after playing at a high level for long stretches during the game can be a let down.

Fourth Quarter Issues

Mar 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) enters back an NBA game against the Chicago Bulls next to Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Rockets have now blown 14 fourth quarter leads this season. There have been a total of 40 fourth quarter leads blown during the three years under Ime Udoka so far.

Last week, the Rockets took a lead into the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in a must win game but could not hold on. Before that, it was a winnable game against an injury riddled Golden State Warriors team where the Rockets came back and took the lead in the fourth. The collapse against the New York Knicks in February described the issues the Rockets faced in getting critical baskets late when the defenses target Kevin Durant.

The Rockets have been able to pull off some clutch wins, such as against the Miami Heat and New Orleans Pelicans. Both required something special to happen. The Rockets need some other options down the stretch to score, and that begins with Alperen Sengun. When the shots gets tough late, someone like Sengun attacking the basket or passing it to open shooters is critical. The Rockets' outside shooters are a bit inconsistent.

The main thing is correctable mistakes like a bad turnover or missing free throws. The Rockets remain a poor free throw shooting team and that can hurt them at the end. Having Reed Sheppard as another scoring and facilitating threat has the potential to help out as well as he gets more time in the starting lineup.