Cavs struggle as free throw woes and rebounding issues hand Rockets 114-104 victory
The Cleveland Cavaliers began their six-game home stand with promising momentum, having secured back-to-back victories against the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks. However, when they faced off against the Houston Rockets and former nemesis Kevin Durant on Wednesday night, the team encountered a significant hurdle.
Rockets jump out to early lead
Houston wasted no time establishing control of the game, launching into a swift 7-0 run that set the tone early. Despite De’Andre Hunter’s solid start, where he scored eight points in the first quarter, the Rockets maintained the lead throughout the opening frame. As the game progressed into the second quarter, Cleveland showed resilience, outscoring Houston by 13 points to close the gap to just four as they entered the final period.
Mitchell ignites a late surge
In the fourth quarter, Donovan Mitchell found his rhythm, hitting two quick three-pointers and assisting Dean Wade on another shot from beyond the arc. This offensive flurry briefly narrowed Houston’s lead to two points, but ultimately, that was as close as the Cavs would get, succumbing to the Rockets with a final score of 114-104.
Free throw struggles haunt the Cavs
One glaring aspect of Cleveland’s performance was their struggles from the free-throw line, finishing the game shooting just 20 of 32, translating to a dismal 63%. Evan Mobley, in particular, had a rough night, converting only four of his ten attempts, dragging his season percentage down to 60.4%. His free-throw shooting has been particularly problematic in November, where he has managed only 53.6%. For a team aspiring to compete with the likes of Houston, leaving 12 points unscored from the charity stripe is simply unacceptable.
Rebounding issues plague Cleveland
Another critical factor in the game was the Cavaliers’ inability to secure rebounds. The Rockets dominated the glass, amassing an impressive 16 offensive rebounds—averaging 16.4 per game, the best in the league. Steven Adams was particularly effective, grabbing six offensive boards as Houston utilized a jumbo lineup that proved advantageous. This disparity in rebounding allowed the Rockets to generate 21 second-chance points and ultimately out-rebounded Cleveland 51-39. While Alperen Sengun and Adams combined for 22 rebounds, Mobley and Jarrett Allen could only muster 13 between them, leading to the Rockets taking nine more shots than the Cavs.
Struggles from beyond the arc
Cleveland’s shooting woes extended to the three-point line, where they hit only 12 of 39 attempts, a mere 31%. Most of those came from Hunter and Mitchell, but the absence of key players such as Darius Garland and Max Strus was felt acutely. Lonzo Ball had a chance to contribute but ended the night shooting just 2 of 8. Although the Cavaliers generated good looks, their inability to convert was a significant factor in the loss.
Looking ahead
Despite the loss, Cleveland remained competitive, with the fourth quarter featuring an intense back-and-forth battle. To turn their fortunes around, the Cavs will need to address their free-throw shooting, rebounding, and shooting efficiency as they prepare to face the Indiana Pacers in NBA Cup play on Friday.
