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[Saba Sports News] The Houston Rockets suffered one of the season’s worst late-game collapses in Tuesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.
With a 97-93 lead and just 9.1 seconds remaining at Barclays Center, Houston was on the verge of sealing the win—needing only one defensive stop.
But the Nets had other plans. Keon Johnson drained a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, keeping Brooklyn’s hopes alive. The Rockets still had control with possession and the lead, but a disastrous sequence unfolded.
On the inbounds play, Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks miscommunicated, letting the ball roll free. Nets wing Tosan Evbuomwan capitalized, tipping it to a wide-open D’Angelo Russell, who buried a clutch three from the top of the key to give Brooklyn a stunning lead.
Adding to the blunder, Houston inexplicably didn’t call a timeout after Johnson’s initial three, which would have allowed them to advance the ball and reset.
Instead, they burned it after falling behind, setting up a final chance with 3.1 seconds left. Jalen Green’s desperation three missed as time expired, sealing the Rockets’ brutal collapse.
Ironically, Russell had been ice-cold all game, shooting just 2-for-14 before delivering the game’s biggest shot—and walking away as the unlikely hero.