#Rockets hit NBA rock bottom with 20th straight loss

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets lost their team-record 20th straight game, falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder 114-112 Sunday when John Wall missed two shots in the final 10 seconds.

The Rockets’ skid is tied for the ninth-worst in NBA history and the longest since Philadelphia’s record-setting 28-game losing streak across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Houston took a 110-109 lead with less than three minutes remaining. After the Rockets went ahead, Lu Dort blocked Wall’s layup from behind to protect a 113-112 edge.

Wall then missed a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Dort scored 23 points and Isaiah Roby had 18 for the Thunder, who led by as many as 13 points. Svi Mykhailiuk and Justin Jackson each had 15 points off the bench.

Christian Wood had 27 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for Houston, Wall had 24 points and seven assists, and Victor Oladipo had 23 points.

Oklahoma City led 31-22 at the end of a rough first quarter where the teams combined to make just 3 of 17 from 3-point range. They shot a sizzling 14 of 21 on 3s in the second quarter, however, and Oklahoma City led 66-62 at halftime.

Wall, Wood and Oladipo combined for 40 first-half points. It was just the fifth time all season all three players have played in the same game.

The Rockets hit a franchise-record 28 3s in a win against the Thunder on Feb. 1, just three days before their last win. On Sunday, the Rockets were just 14 of 38 on 3s.

Oklahoma City outrebounded Houston 52-38, led by Moses Brown’s 14 board. Brown added 13 points.

Sunday’s game was originally supposed to be the season opener on Dec. 23, but it was postponed for COVID-19 protocols.