Paulo Alves

It's just you can tell and you've kind of been able to tell since very early on that this team just doesn't have it.

And it is the ability to raise the level when the level needs to be raised.

When games are on the brink and when you're playing especially good teams or when you have to take the game seriously because you're losing to a really bad team.

It just seems like the Rockets win games and lose games largely up to chance.

And there's really no tangible difference

In the level of play.

When it's time to walk in.

Or when they're down 10.

Versus when the game's even.

Versus when they're up 10.

It's just largely a game of chance.

They don't seem to have any gear up.

Or any gear down.

They'll easily fall down 10.

To any team in the league.

And they'll easily come back from those 10.

Also against any team in the league.

But it doesn't necessarily seem intentional.

Because when they have...

when there are high leverage moments, it doesn't seem like a switch flips and they start playing better and they come back.