The Houston Rockets Shooting Failed Them Again in Loss to OKC

The Houston Rockets' poor shooting has cost them several games this season, and it cost them again in their loss to the Thunder.

Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka reacts during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets came into their semifinal matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder ranked second in defensive rating. All season, the Rockets have been one of the best defensive teams. That defense is the number one reason why the Rockets have been the surprise team of the NBA.

Rockets were off to their best start since the 2017-18 season and were hoping their defense would lead them to the NBA Cup finals. Unfortunately for the Rockets the lost to the Thunder highlighted their biggest flaw which is shooting.

Even in wins, the Rockets' shooting has been an issue. No better example of this was their win over the Warriors. The Rockets were 1-16 from 3-point range at one point and finished 6-22, but they still won because of their defense.

They often lose because they can't make their shots. This was evident in their game against the Thunder, where the Rockets shot 11-46 from beyond the arc and compounded their shooting woes by going 15-25 from the free-throw line.

Once again, the Rockets' backcourt struggled, shooting a combined 7-for-27 from beyond the arc. This kind of performance is insufficient, and the team's struggles shooting have cost it several games this season. Consistently poor shooting has been a recurring issue for the Rockets throughout the year.

The Rockets came into Saturday night ranked 26th from 3-point range. The Rockets only have two players shooting over 35 percent from 3-point range and one of them plays limited minutes in Aaron Holiday.

If the Rockets want to stay in the top six and not have to win play-in games, they must improve their shooting as a team or make a move in the trade market.

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