Rockets have an infuriating problem with no clear answer

The Houston Rockets keep losing games they really, really shouldn't lose. After falling to the 7-22 Sacramento Kings on Sunday and the 8-21 Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, the Rockets now have losses to the Kings, Clippers, Pelicans, Mavericks, and Jazz this month.

Why do they keep doing this?

I don't know the answer to that, and I doubt the Rockets themselves know, either. Each time before it happens, I tell myself, "Well, they can't be unprepared for this one, surely," And then that ages poorly immediately.

The strangest part? From a distance, it doesn't look like the Rockets play that much worse in losses. They still have an offensive rating of 115, the defense doesn't get obviously worse, and Kevin Durant's numbers are pretty much the same in wins and losses.

It might be as simple as the Rockets playing pretty much the same game no matter the opponent; when they play good teams, that's great. The Rockets are 8-5 against teams over .500, a very solid mark. When they play bad teams, like they have this month, it becomes problematic.

Rockets play to their competition, for better or worse

Eventually, this trait may help the Rockets. Once the playoffs start, it'll be good to feel confident that the Rockets can stay in any game. Playing up to your competition in the playoffs is vital for any type of postseason run.

But in the meantime... It's not so fun knowing the Rockets will keep every game interesting. Staying consistent in your style of play is good — but staying so consistent that you can't pulverize lesser teams and dominate them for 48 full minutes is a concerning trait in the regular season, especially in a regular season where a rough two weeks could drop a team multiple spots in the Western Conference.

Right now, I am far more confident in the Rockets when they take on an elite team versus when they play a basement dweller. That's cool when they beat Denver or Orlando or Boston, but it feels really bad when they confirm every fan's fears and play down to the level of Sacramento or Los Angeles.

The solution? Well, if you have one, please let me know. This team is good at a lot of things, but going BTA on lesser competition is not one of them. There's no asserting dominance from these Rockets right now. Can that be learned?