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The big uncertainty revolving around the Houston Rockets entering the 2025 NBA playoffs was their relative inexperience, and in Sunday's Game 7 showdown with the Golden State Warriors, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference looked woefully unprepared for the moment. The team's season as a whole was still noteworthy and could serve as the launching point for a prosperous run, but the 103-89 loss will leave an extremely bitter taste in fans' mouths.
It will also leave them with some questions to answer about the franchise's future. The Rockets dug deep, showed toughness and poise and reclaimed home-court advantage after finding themselves in a 3-1 series hole. Their tanks ran empty, though, and so did their offensive creativity.
They could not get into a rhythm, shooting 40.5 percent from the field. People will laud the Warriors' clutch ways, and they should, but this was a missed opportunity regardless of where Houston sits on its developmental timetable. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka expressed a similar sentiment when speaking on his squad's lackluster showing in the win-or-go-home clash.
He said that they “laid an egg,” via the ClutchFans X account. “It's going to sting for a minute.” That it will.
Rockets stumbled at home vs. the battle-tested Warriors
Alperen Sengun looked uncomfortable inside and frequently forced his shot against Draymond Green, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-23 shooting. He still made sure to contribute, though, grabbing 14 rebounds and recording one block and one steal in defeat. Jalen Green, the Rockets' other star player, had an especially tough outing.
He was just 3-of-8 from the floor and faded into the background. The 23-year-old shot 29.5 percent from 3-point range for the series and scored less than 15 points in every contest apart from his masterful Game 2 performance (38 points, six assists and three steals). One can chalk up the struggles to youth, but Green himself is not making excuses. While that is nice to hear, it is hard to deny the problems that arise when Green is not knocking down his shots.
Veteran Dillon Brooks also underwhelmed, totaling only eight points, two rebounds and one assist in 36 minutes. The polarizing wing's experience was supposed to be particularly valuable in the postseason, and it was for a while, but he did not leave much of an imprint in the final two games of this opening-round series.
On the bright side, Amen Thompson took a significant leap forward, showcasing more of his offensive skills while also playing the elite defense that people have quickly come to expect from him. The 22-year-old is seemingly a vital component of Houston's long-term plan. Fans will need a little time before pondering the Rockets' presumably bright future, however.
Houston must reflect on the entirety of this experience
Ime Udoka was right. This group faltered. Considering the offensive game plan he implemented, the NBA Coach of the Year finalist shares plenty of culpability for the shortcomings. However, if Houston can learn from this stinging disappointment, the entire organization should be better equipped for playoff success next season.
Sometimes, “laying an egg” is a painful yet necessary part of becoming a great team. We will see if that is the case for the Rockets, or if this Game 7 loss highlights the possible issues that could persist.
