The Houston Rockets lost 108-106 to the New York Knicks after leading by 16 points entering the fourth quarter, extending a pattern that has now produced 16 losses in 21 clutch games this season — defined as games within five points in the final five minutes.
Houston scored just 15 points in the fourth quarter and committed nine turnovers as the Knicks erased the deficit. Kevin Durant pointed to a lack of pace as the primary issue, noting that the Rockets’ offensive approach changed significantly between the first three quarters and the fourth.
The Rockets’ 14-16 record in clutch situations has become the central question around the team’s viability as a Western Conference contender. Fred VanVleet’s absence due to injury has removed the team’s primary late-game facilitator, compounding execution problems that have persisted throughout the season.
Rockets scored 15 fourth-quarter points on nine turnovers against the Knicks
Houston’s offense operated effectively through three quarters before stalling completely in the fourth. “I thought, in the first three quarters, we played with more pace. In the fourth quarter, we were just stagnant to start,” Durant said.
Head coach Ime Udoka identified the shift toward isolation-heavy possessions as the root cause, stating the ball stopped moving when the game tightened. The nine fourth-quarter turnovers gave New York extra possessions in a period where the Knicks outscored Houston by enough to erase a 16-point deficit and win by two.
Fred VanVleet’s injury leaves Rockets without a late-game playmaker
The Rockets’ clutch-time problems have been magnified by VanVleet’s absence. Without him, Houston has relied on Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to manage the offense in high-leverage possessions, but neither has replicated VanVleet’s ability to control pace and create for others under defensive pressure.
The Knicks’ fourth-quarter defensive adjustments exposed that gap directly. As New York increased ball pressure, the Rockets lacked a backcourt player capable of breaking down the defense and generating clean looks, which led to the isolation-heavy possessions Udoka referenced.
Rockets’ upcoming schedule offers window to address clutch-game issues
Durant framed the loss as developmental rather than definitive. “It’s a lesson learned. Something we can keep growing from,” he said. Houston’s upcoming schedule includes a stretch of games against teams below .500, which could provide an opportunity to work on late-game execution against less aggressive defensive pressure.
The Rockets’ path to contention in the Western Conference depends on whether the 14-16 clutch record reflects a correctable execution problem or a structural roster limitation that requires a personnel change — specifically at point guard — before the postseason. With VanVleet’s return timeline uncertain, that distinction will define Houston’s next steps at the trade deadline and beyond.