Portland Trail BlazersOpen full analysis
Houston RocketsOpen full analysis
The Houston Rockets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 106–99 on March 6 at Toyota Center in a defensive struggle that fell well short of the Vegas total of 220.5 points. Alperen Sengun led Houston with 28 points while Anthony Thompson added 26, as the Rockets shot 53.9 percent from the field and limited Portland to just 39.8 percent despite the Blazers' 12 three-pointers made. Houston's balanced attack was supported by 23 assists and 9 steals, though 22 turnovers proved costly for the home team's offensive rating of 104.5. Portland's Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday scored 21 and 20 points respectively, but a fourth-quarter collapse—the Blazers managed only 17 points in the final period—sealed their fate. The decisive swing came in the second quarter, when Houston outscored Portland 30–22 to build separation that Portland could not overcome despite generating 17 steals. The loss drops Portland further behind in the playoff race as Houston solidifies its position in the West.
