Houston Rockets Fall to Pistons Amid First Defeat of 2K25 Summer League Tournament

The Houston Rockets dropped their first game of the 2K25 Summer League tournament amid a loss to the Pistons.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) shoots against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

LAS VEGAS — Whether in the regular season or on a sizzling summer afternoon in Las Vegas, back-to-backs will always be brutal on NBA players.

The Houston Rockets lost their first game of the 2K25 Summer League tournament, 87-73, to the Detroit Pistons inside the Thomas & Mack Center on Monday evening. The game marked Houston's worst performance in Las Vegas over the previous two years.

The Rockets shot 29.4 percent from behind the arc as a team and missed 24 of their 34 3-point field goal attempts. Reed Sheppard attempted just two triples due to the Pistons' physicality on the defensive end. He finished the game with 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting, 0-of-2 from deep, four rebounds and three steals in the loss.

"We just came out really flat," coach Garrett Jackson said. "We were flat from the start. Even early on, it felt like we weren't playing well, and I looked up, and it was a close game.

"They [the Pistons] did a really good job like icing or downing the screens, but they even did it when it was not even just on the sidelines, but more in the center of the court. And I thought that kind of bothered us a little bit. I didn't think we did a good job attacking that."

The Rockets were able to match Detroit's physicality for a slight moment due to Orlando Robinson's production. With 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, Robinson played a vital role in Houston's 64-63 lead entering the fourth quarter. However, the Pistons regained their defensive intensity, which led to Detroit outscoring Houston 25-9 during the final period.

Daniss Jenkins led the way for the Pistons with 26 points on 6-of-11 shooting from behind the arc. Former University of Houston prospect Marcus Sasser added 11 points, eight assists and a pair of steals in the win.

Despite the loss, AJ Griffin had his best game of the Summer League tournament. He added a team-best 18 points, five rebounds and a block. Nate Williams notched a double-double of 14 points and 10 blocks in the loss.

Cam Whitmore struggles vs. the Pistons:

Reigning Summer League MVP Cam Whitmore had his worst performance in Las Vegas since the Rockets drafted him with the No. 20 selection of the 2023 NBA Draft. Whitmore scored five points on 1-of-15 shooting from the field and 0-of-5 from behind the arc.

Whitmore's insufficient play came 24 hours after one of his best Summer League performances against the Washington Wizards, where he erupted for 25 points, eight rebounds, five steals, and four assists in the win.

"I would say a combination of dead legs; I also thought the ball didn't move as well as it did the other games," Jackson said.

"Something that I was harping on was if the ball comes from one side of the court, move it to the other side, and play a second action, get to a third action. A lot of times, when the ball was being swung to the other side, it was driven right back to where it came from to a crowded side. So I'd like to see us play more space and play more together."

Up Next:

The Rockets will continue their Summer League tournament against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. Tip-off is slated for 10:00 p.m. CDT inside the Thomas & Mack Center.