The Houston Rockets were supposed to handle business against a struggling Eastern Conference team. Instead, they let one slip away in frustrating fashion.
Despite Kevin Durant dropping 40 points in a vintage scoring display, the Rockets fell to the Chicago Bulls in a game they led for large stretches after erasing a 22-point deficit. The final score was a bitter pill: Chicago walked out with the victory after a late-game collapse by Houston.
The Rockets fought all the way back, knotting the score at 118-118 with 1:40 left. But defensive lapses proved fatal. Josh Giddey and rookie Matas Buzelis each knocked down crucial three-pointers to push the Bulls back ahead. Durant answered with a quick three of his own, but Jalen Smith responded for Chicago. Another Durant triple cut the deficit to one possession at 121-124 with 30 seconds remaining.
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant reacts to a call during game with Chicago Bulls
Then the roof caved in. Buzelis converted a layup with 10 seconds left, giving the Bulls a five-point cushion they would not relinquish. Houston’s comeback attempt officially died there.
The game may have hinged on an officiating mistake revealed in the NBA’s Last Two Minute (L2M) Report. With 19 seconds remaining, the report admitted an incorrect non-call on Durant’s defense against Leonard Miller. According to the L2M, Durant “wrapped both hands around Miller’s body” as Miller lost the ball — a play that should have resulted in a foul on Durant. That missed call potentially cost the Rockets a crucial possession late in a one-possession game.
This loss marked Houston’s 12th defeat against a team with a sub-.500 record this season — tied for the most in the NBA, per ESPN. It was the kind of game that stings for a team with serious playoff aspirations.
Head coach Ime Udoka did not hold back in his postgame comments, blasting his team’s effort and focus.
“We didn’t respect the game or the opponent,” Udoka said. “And the only way they score 41 [in a quarter] is if we’re playing the way we did on both sides.”
The defeat dropped the Rockets from the No. 3 seed to the No. 6 seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference standings. They now face a tough remaining stretch of their road trip, with upcoming games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, and New Orleans Pelicans.
Despite the loss, Durant’s performance was a reminder of his elite scoring ability even at this stage of his career. He carried the offense when it mattered most, but one player — even one as great as KD — can’t overcome collective defensive breakdowns and untimely lapses.
For a Rockets team that has shown championship-level potential at times this season, nights like this serve as a harsh reminder: against lower-tier opponents, focus and execution on both ends are non-negotiable. Respect the game, or the game will humble you.
Houston will look to bounce back quickly on this road trip. With their seeding slipping and the Western Conference playoff race tightening, every possession — and every whistle — now carries extra weight.