John Wall led Houston with 29 points and 11 assists during a return visit to his initial NBA home, but the short-handed Rockets still lost their sixth straight game in Monday’s 131-119 loss (box score) to the Wizards. It’s the franchise’s longest losing streak since January 2013.
One game after the Rockets shot 8-of-43 from 3-point range in New York, they were nearly as bad in an 8-of-37 showing (21.6%) on 3-pointers. That was tough to overcome against the Wizards, who shot 12-of-30 (40.0%) from behind the 3-point arc. Washington’s Bradley Beal (37 points, three 3-pointers) and Davis Bertans (18 points, five 3-pointers) made as many treys as Houston’s entire roster.
Between another bad shooting night and a roster ravaged by injuries, it was difficult for the Rockets (11-16) to get a win — even against a team in Washington (8-17) that has a worse record on paper. Houston was without four of its top six rotation players in Christian Wood (right ankle sprain), Victor Oladipo (right foot strain), Eric Gordon (sore right groin), and PJ Tucker (left thigh contusion), and backup center Ray Spalding left Monday’s game early with an apparent Achilles injury.
David Nwaba, who started in place of Gordon, had 19 points (70% FG) and a career-high 11 rebounds in a team-high 41 minutes.
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Here’s a sampling of Monday’s highlights and postgame reaction. The Rockets return to action on Wednesday in Philadelphia to finish a three-game East Coast road trip. The 76ers (18-9) have the best record in the Eastern Conference, which will make Houston a clear underdog.
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