Inside The Rockets

Should Rockets Worry After Loss to Blazers?

The Houston Rockets suffered a bad loss against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA;Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) blocks Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shot in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Nov 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA;Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) blocks Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shot in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets are picking up the pieces after a 104-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night inside Toyota Center.

The loss came 24 hours after the Rockets devoured the Blazers by 28 points in their Emirates NBA Cup game.

The Blazers adjusted nicely and figured out some of their problems as they beat the Rockets in their own building. But should the Rockets be concerned after not adjusting in return?

Losses like this aren't new for the Rockets. The team lost games that it shouldn't have against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs earlier in the year.

In an 82-game season, it's difficult to turn it on every night. Even teams like the Blazers have hoopers wanting to beat the opponent every night, and they are extremely capable.

But the Rockets are in a position to where they can win most games as long as they execute their plan. Simply put, the Rockets beat themselves.

The Blazers played well, but the Rockets also were very poor shooters. Houston shot 35.6 percent from the floor and just 25 percent from distance. In comparison, the Rockets made over 45 percent of their shots and 35 percent from beyond the 3-point line the night before.

Poor shooting nights happen and sometimes teams that shouldn't beat you do. As long as the Rockets don't let the problems linger, there isn't much cause for concern.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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