ROCKETS HOLD ON!
Sengun makes late free throws as Rockets outlast Cavs
Jan 23, 2025, 9:54 am
The Rockets beat the Cavs, 109-108. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Alperen Sengun made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left and Darius Garland missed two of three free throws after that to allow the Houston Rockets to hold on for a 109-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Fred VanVleet had 26 points as Houston rallied late after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter.
A flagrant foul by Tari Eason on a 3-point attempt by Garland gave him three free throws with 2.1 seconds left. But he missed the first two before making the third to cut the lead to a point. The Cavaliers had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Donovan Mitchell’s 3-point attempt was off.
Mitchell missed a shot with less than 10 seconds to go. Sengun grabbed the rebound and was fouled by Jarrett Allen to set up the winning free throws.
Houston led by 13 with about 11 minutes left before the Cavaliers used an 19-0 run to take a 104-98 lead with about four minutes to go.
VanVleet ended a Houston scoring drought of more than seven minutes with a 3 after that and tied it at 104-104 with another 3-pointer on the next possession.
Garland led the the NBA-leading Cavaliers with 26 points. They they lost on the road for just the fifth time this season.
Takeaways
Cavaliers: Cleveland missed the rebounding of Evan Mobley, who averages 8.8 rebounds a game and missed his third straight game with a calf injury. The Cavs were outrebounded 53-45.
Rockets: Must avoid scoring droughts like they had Wednesday night if they expect to keep winning games against good teams.
Key moment
Garland missing the first two of his three free throws that would have put Cleveland on top.
Key stat
The Cavaliers missed six free throws, including the two by Garland late.
Up next
The Cavaliers visit the 76ers on Friday night before hosting the Rockets on Saturday night in Houston’s next game.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.