ROCKETS LOSE IN OT
Houston Rockets fall short against Cavs in thrilling clash
Dec 19, 2023, 10:26 am
Rockets lose to the Cavs in OT. Composite Getty Image.
jalen-udoka
Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points, Sam Merrill had a career-high 19 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers earned their 11th consecutive overtime victory by beating the Houston Rockets 135-130 on Monday night.
Merrill had five points and Max Strus added four in the extra period, when Cleveland outscored Houston 13-8 to match the second-longest OT winning streak in NBA history. New Orleans owns the record with 13 victories in a row from 2006-08.
“This is what Sam does, this is who he is,” Mitchell said. “I’ve been playing pickup games against him since he was at Utah State and I was with the Jazz. When hard work meets opportunity, it’s a beautiful thing to see.”
Rockets center Alperin Sengun made one free throw with 36.8 seconds left in regulation to tie it. Caris LeVert missed a 3-pointer on the Cavaliers’ subsequent possession and Sengun’s fadeaway at the buzzer rimmed out.
Fred VanVleet had season highs of 27 points and 17 assists, along with eight rebounds, and Sengun had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Rockets are 2-10 on the road and 11-1 at home.
“We’re doing great on offense, which you can tell, but not so much on defense,” Sengun said. “Me being in foul trouble tonight didn’t help, but we are not doing as good on defense as we usually do.”
The Cavaliers have won both of their games since announcing that starting power forward Evan Mobley and former All-Star point guard Darius Garland will likely be out until February.
Mobley was scheduled for arthroscopic left knee surgery Monday, while Garland will undergo a procedure to repair his broken jaw that occurred in a collision with Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis last week.
“Every game, it’s going to be by committee. No one player can do what they do,” said Mitchell, adding that his right shoulder was sore after running into the basket stanchion. “But honestly, it’s time for us to start winning. No excuses.”
Strus scored 17 points and LeVert had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Merrill made 5 of 10 3-pointers in a career high-tying 24 minutes for the Cavaliers, who are 2-0 on a four-game homestand.
“I’m grateful for Coach (J.B. Bickerstaff) and his trust in me,” Merrill said. “That’s a pretty cool stat about our record in overtime. I didn’t know that.”
VanVleet is averaging a career-high 8.8 assists and an NBA-best 38.3 minutes in his first season with Houston. He had eight points and 10 assists in the first half, which featured 13 lead changes and eight ties.
Dillon Brooks had 16 points in his first game in Cleveland since Feb. 2, when the then-Grizzlies forward was ejected for striking Mitchell in the groin on the baseline. Both players were ejected, while Brooks also received a one-game suspension.
There were 22 fouls called and 27 free throws attempted in the third, when Cleveland scored a season-high 42 points and carried a 99-98 advantage into the fourth.
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Rockets: Host Atlanta on Wednesday night.
Cavaliers: Host Utah on Wednesday night.
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Houston falls short as Soto’s homer, missed opportunities doom Astros
Mar 28, 2025, 10:26 pm
With a chance to make a late splash in his New York Mets debut, Juan Soto came up empty.
After signing the biggest contract in baseball history last offseason, the slugger came to bat with two runners aboard and the Mets down by two in the ninth inning Thursday. But instead of delivering the huge hit New York was looking for, he whiffed on a full-count slider from hard-throwing closer Josh Hader that was way outside the strike zone to send the Mets to a second straight opening day loss in Houston's 3-1 victory.
“He just got me in that situation,” Soto said.
Hader loaded the bases with nobody out, then fanned third-string catcher Hayden Senger in his first major league at-bat. Francisco Lindor’s sacrifice fly made it 3-1, and there were runners on first and third when Hader struck out Soto for his 200th career save.
“We all want to do something in a big spot,” Soto said. “We’re all trying to get the knock and try to bring the runs in and try to help the team either way.”
Soto singled and walked twice against the Astros after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent in December.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked if he thought Soto felt extra pressure in the ninth inning because it was his first game with a new team.
“Yeah, of course, as a competitor he always wants to come through,” Mendoza said. “I thought he had some good at-bats today and even on that one he got it 3-0 and then 3-1 and that pitch that he got there (he) just missed it. Pretty good pitch. But he’ll come through.”
Soto, who played for the American League champion New York Yankees last season, joins the Mets as they chase their first World Series title since 1986.
The four-time All-Star was disappointed his first game with the Mets didn't go their way.
“I was expecting to win the game,” he said. “Definitely it’s not how we wanted. ... They’re a really good team over there and they come in and grind. For me it was a good experience. These guys are amazing and we’ve been having a good time since spring training and we’ve just got to bring that all the way.”
The 26-year-old Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs last year and won a Silver Slugger Award for a fifth straight season.
Soto is a career .285 hitter with 201 home runs and 592 RBIs in seven major league seasons. He's also played for the Nationals and Padres.
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