Houston RocketsOpen full analysis
Portland Trail BlazersOpen full analysis
Portland defeated Houston 111–105 on January 9 at the Moda Center, holding the Rockets to just 15 fourth-quarter points to secure the win despite a balanced shooting night from both teams. T. Camara led the Trail Blazers with 25 points while S. Sharpe added 20, as Portland's defense clamped down late; Houston's offense stalled in the final quarter after outscoring Portland 34–22 in the third. K. Durant paced the Rockets with 30 points and A. Thompson contributed 24, but Houston's 10 three-pointers fell well short of Portland's 16 from deep. The Blazers shot 41.6 percent overall and generated 26 assists on 43 rebounds, while Houston grabbed 56 boards but managed only 21 assists and committed the same 13 turnovers as their hosts. The game finished well below the Vegas total of 222.5 at 216 combined points, reflecting Portland's suffocating fourth-quarter defense that allowed just 1.5 points per possession. Portland's late-game execution keeps them competitive in the Western Conference standings.
