Rockets Fall Flat Again, Offense Stalls as Turnovers and Energy Issues Mount
Let’s not sugarcoat it: this was a rough one. For the second straight night, the Houston Rockets came out flat, and this time, the Charlotte Hornets made them pay.
The final score doesn’t quite capture how lopsided things felt for most of the game. Outside of a late push from the deep bench, Houston never looked like it had control - or a plan.
Durant’s Stat Line Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
On the surface, Kevin Durant’s 31 points on 11-of-21 shooting might look like a bright spot. But dig a little deeper, and the shine wears off.
Yes, he hit some of the tough, high-difficulty shots we’ve come to expect from him. But the problem is that those are all the looks he’s getting - tough, contested, iso-heavy shots.
That’s not a sustainable model, even for someone of Durant’s caliber.
More concerning? The turnovers.
Six live-ball giveaways from KD, most of them momentum killers. These weren’t just careless mistakes - they were the “trying to force the issue” kind of plays, where a pass turns into a fast break the other way.
Add in another handful of near-turnovers that didn’t show up in the box score, and it’s clear Durant was pressing. He finished with just one assist.
Durant and Amen Thompson combined for 12 of the team’s 18 turnovers, and Charlotte turned those giveaways into 17 points. That’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re already struggling to find rhythm offensively.
Charlotte’s Energy Outpaces Houston
Give credit to the Hornets - they’ve found something lately. Winners of nine of their last ten, they came in rested and ready, and it showed.
Houston, on the second night of a back-to-back, looked sluggish by comparison. But if this team wants to be taken seriously as a playoff threat, “tired legs” can’t be the go-to excuse.
Even with 20 turnovers of their own, the Hornets didn’t pay the same price. They played with more urgency, more purpose, and frankly, more cohesion.
By the midpoint of the third quarter, it was clear the Rockets weren’t going to find an offensive spark. The gap never felt bridgeable, even when the bench unit - led by Jeff Green - made things interesting late.
That stretch was fun, sure, but it didn’t change the outcome. The Hornets had to bring their starters back in to close it out, but the game was never truly in doubt.
Starting Five Stalls
It was a tough night for the Rockets’ starters. Jabari Smith Jr. was the lone exception - not just because of his 6-of-9 shooting from two-point range, but because of his consistent effort. He doesn’t always have great nights statistically, but he rarely lacks intensity.
Josh Okogie started strong, scoring the team’s first five points, but added just one more the rest of the way. Amen Thompson had 7 assists but also 5 turnovers, and shot just 3-of-7.
Alperen Sengun struggled from the floor (3-of-11), though he did contribute 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Cam Whitmore couldn’t get much going either.
His once-explosive lift on his jumper seems to have faded - he’s shooting more set shots now, and they’re not falling.
Defensive Adjustments Missing in Action
Defensively, the Rockets are being picked apart in a way that feels eerily familiar. Teams have started targeting Sengun in pick-and-rolls, and it’s working.
The blueprint is simple: get a guard or wing matched up on him, attack downhill, and force the help defense to collapse. If it comes, kick it to the corner.
If it doesn’t, it’s an easy finish at the rim.
Boston did it. Charlotte did it. And unless the Rockets find a counter, more teams will follow suit.
On the other end, Sengun was constantly swarmed. It felt like he had four defenders around him anytime he touched the ball in the paint.
That congestion is a symptom of a bigger issue - the Rockets’ lack of spacing and offensive clarity. There’s no system in place that consistently creates open looks or exploits mismatches.
It’s a lot of standing around the arc, waiting for something to happen, in an offense that doesn’t shoot many threes to begin with.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Let’s talk about the numbers for a second. The Rockets have attempted the second-fewest threes in the league - only Sacramento shoots fewer - and over the past two games, they’ve been outshot by about 40 threes. That’s a massive disparity in today’s NBA, where spacing and volume from deep are essential.
Durant hit 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, which is solid. But he only took four.
That means he was 8-of-17 from two-point range - not bad, but not efficient enough to carry the offense on its own. Sengun’s 3-of-11 night didn’t help, and while Jabari’s 6-of-9 shooting was a positive, it’s more the exception than the rule.
If you’re not shooting threes, not getting to the line in volume, and not dominating the glass, you’ve got to be elite in at least one of those categories to make up for it. Right now, Houston isn’t excelling in any of them.
What’s the Plan?
That’s the big question. The Rockets don’t look like a team with a clear offensive identity.
Watch them long enough, and you’ll notice the lack of structure. Players seem unsure of what sets to run, what reads to make, or even where to be on the floor.
There’s a lot of aimless spacing, but not much action. Not enough movement.
Not enough purpose.
This isn’t just about effort - though the energy has been lacking - it’s about execution and system. Right now, the Rockets’ offense feels outdated and underdeveloped.
The average NBA team is scoring around 114 points per game this season. The Rockets have failed to crack 100 in back-to-back games - and their opponents weren’t exactly lighting it up either. Yet Houston never looked like a threat to win either contest.
Looking Ahead
Next up? A trip to Oklahoma City. The Thunder are rolling, and if the Rockets don’t find answers quickly - on both ends of the floor - things could get uglier before they get better.
This team has talent. There’s no question about that.
But talent without structure, without identity, without adaptation - that’s not enough in today’s NBA. The Rockets need more than just “try harder.”
They need a plan.