Kevin Porter Jr. followed up a 36-point outburst Tuesday in Brooklyn with 35 points and 10 rebounds on Friday in Toronto. The third-year guard shot 12-of-23 from the field (52.2%) and 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%).
Unfortunately for the Rockets (20-61), it still wasn’t quite enough to get a win in Friday’s 117-115 loss (box score) to the Raptors (48-33). Houston led by as much as 24 points in the first half, but Pascal Siakam (29 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists) and Gary Trent Jr. (26 points, 5-of-8 on 3-pointers) gradually led the playoff-bound Raptors back.
Porter’s backcourt mate, Jalen Green, saw his historic NBA rookie streak of five straight games with 30 or more points end with a bit of a thud, scoring just 8 points on 3-of-10 shooting (30.0%). Fellow rookies Josh Christopher (20 points, 75% FG, 4 assists) and Alperen Sengun (17 points, 58.3% FG, 3 assists) each picked up the slack, though Sengun’s attempt at a tying shot in the final second came up just short.
As has become customary in the waning days of the 2021-22 regular season, veterans Eric Gordon, Dennis Schroder, and Christian Wood continued to sit out for rest purposes. With the loss, Houston secured at least a tie in the race for the NBA’s worst record and the No. 1 positioning slot entering the 2022 draft lottery. They can earn that spot outright with a loss in Sunday’s season finale (at home versus Atlanta).
Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction from Friday.