Ben DuBose

Keep in mind, the Rockets were just coming off a stretch where they went 10-10 in 20 games.

So it's definitely improved.

They're playing harder on defense, which you know Ime Udoka loves.

They're executing better in close games.

Jabari Smith Jr., he's bounced back after going through that deep slump in early January.

There's lots of good signs.

But with all that said, there is at least a small sense of unease with the fan base, and I understand why.

It's not about the amount of games they've lost lately.

I think it's about how they've lost.

Because since the middle of January, you had two home games against the top two seeds in the West, the Thunder and the Spurs, and they both followed a very similar formula.

Both were there for the taking, entering the fourth quarter, and then you just couldn't generate any sort of half-court offense at all when it truly mattered.

And then in between those games, you also lost at Philadelphia when you led by eight with about five minutes left and seven with about three minutes left.

And it was a very similar story.

Now, I'm not saying the Sixers are to the level of the Thunder or the Spurs, but when they have Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid both playing, both healthy, and especially at home, I do think they're a very good team.

And so for me, I wasn't, I wouldn't call myself angry in the aftermath of those games because to me, they were understandable losses.

You know, it wasn't like when the Rockets choked away big leads this time a month or so ago to the Kings and the Pelicans, and it felt like you just weren't trying hard enough and you sort of disrespected the game.

Those were games that I was livid after because the Rockets just let all of us down.

And I think they would admit that they let themselves down.

No, and these, they were trying and they just got out-executed.

It happens.