Late Game Execution Thwarts The Rockets Yet Again

The Houston Rockets are beginning to establish clear roles in the clutch, and Head Coach Ime Udoka is finding the players he prefers to end games with as the team continues to navigate a loaded Western Conference. The final lineup hasn't been able to finish games against the West's top teams as the Rockets dropped yet another game against a Western Conference contender in the Denver Nuggets.

The game was nearly won in regulation as the Rockets held a lead with just seconds remaining.

A foul before the inbounds stifled Houston's chances at winning as Amen Thompson inadvertently gave Denver the game-tying free throw to send the game into overtime. The mistake was born from Thompson's pursuit of an elite three-point shooter that ultimately led to a critical foul call that undermined some of the clutch shots made by Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant in the game's final minutes.

In overtime, the team couldn't maintain the success they had in the last few minutes of regulation.

Reed Sheppard and Jabari Smith Jr. didn't have as much of an impact as they did to end regulation during overtime, and the Nuggets took over as their stars kept pouring on their elite offense to control the game in the extra period.

Finishing games of this nature has been an issue for the Rockets this year, specifically against fellow Western Conference contenders.

The Rockets have dropped a few games against the West's most competitive teams by falling short in the clutch and not having the firepower to lean on with less than two minutes left. Houston doesn't have a bona fide MVP candidate to depend on like most of the other Western Conference contenders. They count on the entire team to contribute throughout the game to provide the clutch moments, and they have two viable options to initiate things in the waning moments in Durant and Sengun.

However, neither of these players are at the caliber of some of the league's best players, making it difficult to keep up at the end of games against teams that know exactly who will create the best opportunities at the end of games.

The Rockets have the talent to keep up with teams throughout the game and compete at the highest level. They have evidence of high-quality clutch play against some teams, but the top Western Conference teams have had the edge over Houston in the clutch so far.