Pacers 134, Rockets 125: Houston falls in overtime

He nailed his third 3-pointer of the night time on a troublesome, turnaround jumper with 4 seconds left. When Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton misplaced the ball on a closing drive, the Rockets went to time beyond regulation for simply the second time this season.

The sport ended the way in which it began, with the Rockets unable to get stops. Haliburton hit a 3-pointer and adopted with a drive to an eight-point lead with 1:21 remaining in time beyond regulation, because the Pacers pulled away, 134-125, Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Rockets insider: A breakthrough recreation for Jabari Smith Jr.

Haliburton completed with 29 factors and 19 assists. Smith led the Rockets with a career-high 30 factors and 12 rebounds with Jalen Inexperienced including 24 factors because the Rockets scored 80 factors within the paint.

They’d come again from down as a lot as 17. With the Rockets attacking the paint and the glass, they stored the sport tight till lastly they combined in just a few 3s. They’d made simply three within the recreation earlier than Inexperienced and Smith drained consecutive 3s. When Inexperienced put in a no-look, over-the-head flip by means of a Myles Turner foul, the Rockets had their first lead of the sport, going up 110-108, with 4:10 remaining.

The Pacers, nevertheless, had their starters out by means of a lot of the Rockets’ 13-2 run. After Inexperienced’s basket, Aaron Nesmith put in a 3 and Haliburton completed a drive. The Rockets missed their subsequent three pictures with a pair of turnovers.

Jae’Sean Tate drew Turner’s sixth foul and reduce the Indiana result in two with 1:39 remaining. Inexperienced stripped Haliburton and the Rockets appeared for Okay.J. Martin on a break to tie the sport, however he misplaced the ball.

Haliburton missed and once more the Rockets appeared to Martin on the run. He missed however was fouled on the rebound. However like Tate moments earlier, he missed, making certainly one of two pictures to go away the Rockets down one with 48.9 seconds remaining.

The Rockets once more had an opportunity to take a last-minute lead, however Inexperienced misplaced the ball on his drive with Buddy Hield slapping it away as he gathered for the Pacers’ fifteenth blocked shot, matching their most this season.

That pressured the Rockets to foul with 15 seconds left, and Haliburton made each free throws.

The Rockets, searching for a 3 to tie, couldn’t get a clear look in order that they referred to as outing with seven seconds left.

With that, Smith made the very best shot of his greatest recreation. It was additionally the final 3 the Rockets would make because the Pacers pulled away in time beyond regulation.

Rookie on the rise

The Rockets missed their first three pictures when Smith broke the ice, hitting a 19-footer from simply past the elbow.

Per week in the past, it might need been a shock to have Smith present the breakthrough. On Thursday, it was not. Nor, ought to it have been thought of a shock when he made his subsequent try, a no-hesitation, catch-and-shoot 3.

Smith has performed with larger confidence up to now few video games. The 15 factors he scored on Tuesday had been his most within the first seven video games out of the All-Star break. After making 1 of 16 3-pointers in 4 video games, he had made 41.7 % of his 3s within the three video games previous to Thursday’s, when he went 4 of seven within the first half, 1 of two from deep.

As spectacular, and perhaps vital, was his first bucket of the second half. Turner had swatted away Smith’s first try of the third quarter, sizing him up by means of your complete possession. However on his subsequent contact, Smith went proper at Turner, ending a robust drive over him. His sturdy play to start out the second half, scoring 10 factors within the first 5 minutes of the half, stored the Rockets within the recreation.

He completed with a career-high 30 factors with 12 rebounds, simply his second 20-point double-double of the season.

As a lot because the Rockets hope to make use of the ultimate month of the season to construct one thing they will convey into the offseason and subsequent season, little could possibly be as beneficial as having their prized rookie discover his confidence and contact.

The issue with being 3-free

The Rockets are final within the NBA in 3-point taking pictures proportion, so by the second half, they averted the issue completely.

They stopped taking 3s. They tried simply two 3-pointers within the third quarter, with Inexperienced making one. They as a substitute attacked the rim on practically each possession.

Although Turner, fourth within the NBA in blocked pictures, had extra blocked pictures (7) only one minute into the second half than he has had in any recreation this season, the Rockets stored going at him. By means of three quarters, they scored 62 factors within the paint (they’d 40 within the first assembly). And within the third quarter, they drew so many fouls, they tried 12 free throws.

That was higher than lacking 3s, however it led to the acquainted drawback: 3s are value greater than 2s. The Rockets headed to the fourth quarter with 36 area objectives, the Pacers had 35. Each groups had made 16 free throws. However the Pacers had 12 3-pointers, the Rockets solely three, giving Indiana a seven-point lead.

The purpose guard/ahead/middle

Tate has typically described his play at level guard as a pure extension of the “position-less” period of NBA basketball. However that’s not fairly it. He not solely has a place, he has a lot of them. Or, after the previous two video games, he is likely to be greatest described because the Rockets’ level middle/ahead/guard.

Most of his taking part in time since coming back from his ankle damage has been because the Rockets’ backup level guard, particularly because the commerce of Eric Gordon took one other ballhandler out of the combination.

With Kevin Porter Jr. out on Thursday with a bruised left thigh, Daishen Nix began on the level with Tate coming off the bench as his backup. However as with Tuesday’s recreation towards the Nets, he additionally picked up minutes as a 6-4, smallball middle, a first-half stretch that helped flip the sport round.

The Rockets had already appeared to have settled down. They scored on a four-shot possession earlier than Alperen Sengun hit a mid-range jumper and Inexperienced completed a drive. However within the closing 3 1/2 minutes of the half, the Rockets completed a 20-8 rush to shut the half, lowering the Pacers’ result in 64-58.

The Rockets outscored the Pacers by three in Tate’s 12 first-half minutes, which appeared vital with Indiana seeming properly on its option to a blowout within the first half, main by as a lot as 17.

The Rockets began the fourth quarter the identical manner however struggled. And switched to a unique small lineup with Smith at middle. However Tate had already proven his multi-positional worth.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas stated he began Nix with Porter out partially to restrict Tate’s taking part in time as he continues to take care of the ankle points. However the way in which he performed, it could be robust to maintain him off the courtroom, at one place or one other.