Rockets Pushed to the Brink After Missed Opportunities

Late mistakes hurt the Houston Rockets as they attempted to tie the series with the Golden State Warriors. Despite outshooting and outrebounding Golden State, the Rockets allowed a few significant runs in the second half. One final mistake gave the Warriors a chance to break a tie late in the game, and the Rockets didn't execute their final offensive play well enough to steal a victory from the Warriors in the Bay Area.

The Rockets had the advantage in several categories that they usually don't. They shot nearly 50 percent from the field while holding Golden State to around 42 percent. Houston even outshot the Warriors from deep, knocking down around 48 percent of the team's deep shots compared to 37 percent for Golden State.

It's not often Houston outshoots other teams, and the Rockets couldn't take advantage of an efficient shooting night.

The Rockets even maintained their usual advantage on the boards. They outrebounded the Warriors on the offensive glass with the help of Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun.

Sengun did his best to carry the team to a victory, scoring 31 points and knocking down shots in the fourth quarter to keep the game close. However, he and the rest of the team did a poor job of shooting free throws, while the Warriors scored most of their final points from the free-throw line.

Free-throw shooting may have been the deciding factor in the game. Houston shot 61 percent from the line, and nearly every player contributed to the ugly shooting night. Sengun missed three of his 10 attempts; Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson missed two each; and Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr. and Steven Adams missed one free throw each.

The Rockets made 19 of their 31 attempts overall, failing to take advantage of scoring opportunities at the line. Just a few more makes from the charity stripe would have made a significant difference in a game that ended with just a three-point margin of victory.

In contrast, the Warriors made over 90 percent of their free throws, led by Jimmy Butler. The star wing knocked down all 12 of his shots from the line, including the final five points to close the game. His teammates supported him by making eight of 10 free throws.

Missed opportunities at the free-throw line ultimately gave Golden State the advantage over the Rockets. Houston had several chances to win, including big games from Fred VanVleet and Sengun. Despite outplaying Golden State in several categories, the Rockets lost a game that may have decided the fate of their season.