Rockets scorching start not enough against Nets

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports

With initial introductions out of the way, it was no longer time to consider a game against the Brooklyn Nets an emotional affair. And it was fun, for a while.

Despite an electric start from the floor, a lack of shotmaking late and clutch performances from the Nets side doomed the Rockets to a 120-108 loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

The game began in as glorious a fashion as a Rockets fan could hope for. After jumping out to a 12-4 lead in the first three or so minutes of the first quarter, Houston never looked back for the remaining nine. Shot after shot fell, and defensively, Houston held strong against the likes of James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

Every stat you could have wanted, the Rockets excelled in. Houston assisted on eight of their first 12 made shots, and would finish the quarter shooting 15-19 from the floor, and a scorching 7-9 from three.

The Rockets also held a 9-0 bench scoring advantage after one. Nets not named James Harden or Kyrie Irving were a combined 1-8 in the first.

While their second quarter wasn't as perfect as their first, the Rockets still managed to take a double-digit lead into halftime.

Kevin Porter Jr. also started to take over. He went into the half with 14 points and four assists, with zero turnovers.

Then the third quarter happened.

Any momentum the Rockets had seemed to have vanished at the quarter's start. Houston only managed to score 19 points in the third, going 6-18 from the floor and 1-10 on three point attempts.

Though James Harden would exit the game in the third due to hamstring tightness, Kyrie Irving would more than handle the load in his absence. Irving exploded in the third, managing to almost single-handedly trim Houston's lead to one at the third's end.

The fourth quarter began, and Houston managed to build a tentative six-point lead with seven and a half minutes remaining, before they pulled what they pulled in Minnesota. It would take four minutes for Houston to score a point again, and by then it was already too late.

Kyrie Irving would shoulder Brooklyn (31p/12a) and Joe Harris would catch fire in the second half (28p, 7 3PM) to finish off Houston. Brooklyn finished the game on a 31-12 run.

It was the kind of game the tanking fans would have enjoyed. Flashes of potential here and there while also not doing quite enough to win, maintaining their spot among the basement-dwellers of the league and keeping their high odds of acquiring a high lottery pick.

Despite the loss, Coach Silas had praise for the team, especially Kevin Porter Jr. (20p/6a). "I thought he was really good. Controlled the game, made plays for others. He's so big, he has an interesting knack for, of when he gets to the hoop, hanging and finishing and getting in there and making plays. He was definitely good."

Houston, 13-34, will avoid the April Fools shenanigans and take on the Boston Celtics on Friday, April 2. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 PM CT.