Rockets vs. Spurs Takeaways: Another Terrible Shooting Night, Nix's Play, Frustration Brewing

The Houston Rockets (9-21) put together arguably their worst performance of the 2022-23 campaign during a 124-105 loss to the San Antonio Spurs (10-20) Monday night. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' third consecutive loss inside the Toyota Center.

Another terrible shooting performance:

The Rockets had another terrible night on the offensive end. In some instances, Houston's play against the Spurs was worst when compared to Saturday's contest against the Portland Trail Blazers — who played a physical game on the defensive end. 

"We got down on ourselves, and we were missing shots," coach Stephen Silas said. "As a result, we let go of the rope. And that was disappointing."

The Rockets shot 42.6 percent from the field and a horrendous 20.8 percent from behind the arc. Their worst period came during the third quarter when Houston shot 21 percent on five made baskets.

Houston's awful shooting also led to a miserable night from the free-throw line. They shot 64.5 percent from the foul line on 31 attempts.

The second quarter was the only period the Rockets had a solid offensive production. Houston outscored the Spurs 34-25 during the period and held a 62-60 lead by halftime. 

"I thought our energy was great [during the second quarter]," Silas said. "We were forcing turnovers and playing great on both ends of the floor. 

"But in the third quarter, the best example, Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr.] made a layup. On the next possession, they inbounded the ball and gave up a layup to Tre Jones. That's who we were tonight. But that is not who we should be."

Daishen Nix takes lead as the Rockets' backup point guard:

Kevin Porter Jr. got into early foul trouble. He picked up his third foul late in the first quarter, and Silas called upon Daishen Nix for Porter's substitution. Although he has been Porter's backup since the start of the season, Silas' decision was a bit stunning due to the emergence of rookie point guard TyTy Washington Jr.

"He did a great job," Silas said. "He is a point guard who makes plays. He is a physical player who does a good job getting to the ball. I like what he did tonight."

In 24 minutes, Nix had his best game of the season. He finished with a career-high nine assists, with seven coming during the first half.

Nix played a major role in the small glimmer of hope the Rockets had during the second quarter. 

By taking the helm as Houston's floor general, he prevented the offense from becoming stagnant. 

The Rockets outscored San Antonio 34-23 while the team shot 63.6 percent during the second period. The highlight of the night came with 6 minutes and 11 seconds left in the second quarter when Nix's behind-the-back pass to Bruno Fernando led to a two-hand dunk. 

"When I attack downhill, it draws a lot of attention," Nix said. "Everyone was open because I was playing more aggressively. Each time they over-committed, it left guys like Alperen [Sengun] and others open." 

Showing Frustration:

The Rockets gave a half-hearted effort on both ends. The positive vibes that surrounded the team the previous two weeks are gone. There were several moments throughout the game where players showcased their frustration. 

Jabari Smith Jr., who finished with nine points on 4-of-14 shooting, showed a lot of aggravation each time he missed a shot or was calling for the ball on several occasions. 

"We have not been playing like ourselves these last two games," Jalen Green said. "We just need to get back to what is working and play together."

Best performance:

Alperen Sengun was the only player who had a consistent scoring night. He finished with a team-best 22 points while connecting on eight out of his ten attempts. 

Worst performance:

The Rockets' backcourt of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. deserves this honor for the second consecutive game. And their performance against the Spurs was worse than their play against the Trail Blazers. 

Green and Porter scored a combined 28 points and shot 9-of-28 from the field and 2-of-8 from deep. The two young guards do not appear to be on the same page. 

Their lack of chemistry was noticeable on several occasions, but none more than at the 4:16 mark of the fourth quarter when Porter took an open dunk instead of passing ahead to Green.  They recorded a combined minus-40.

Final Words:

"Last game, we did not shoot the ball well, and we wanted to tonight. When shots were not falling early, it started to take a toll on us mentally, and they started to run away with it." — Kevin Porter Jr.