Rockets season may hinge on the one thing they have failed to do so far

The Houston Rockets have found themselves in a lot of tight contests in 2025-26. Unfortunately, they haven't fared as well as you'd like in those games.

Per NBA.com, the Rockets are .500 (6-6) in clutch situations. Is that bad? Well, let's compare it with their direct competition.

The Lakers have won all 9 of their clutch games. The Spurs have won 80% (12-3). The Thunder have won 81.8% (9-2). So no, a .500 mark in the clutch is not good for a team with championship aspirations.

What exactly is happening here?

Rockets failing to execute in the clutch

The Rockets' last clutch contest was especially frustrating. Partly, that's because the Nuggets are 4-6 in the clutch this year. Largely, it's because it felt like the refs determined the outcome.

Now, the L2M (last two minutes) report is out. Three calls went against the Rockets down the stretch. That is...very annoying.

It also doesn't account for the Rockets' mediocre clutch record this season - at least, not directly. One could argue that the Rockets put themselves in a position to have bad calls go Denver's way. The team looked generally frustrated and discombobulated.

It's been a trend throughout the year. When the chips are down, the Rockets don't get it done.

How can they improve in this area?

Rockets need to hang onto the ball when it counts

They could start by minimizing clutch turnovers. As it stands, the Rockets cough up the rock 1.6 times per clutch situation. It's the second-worst mark in the NBA behind only the Timberwolves.

Perhaps it partly owes to youth. The loss of the ever-steady Fred VanVleet is surely a factor. Those are obstacles that will be difficult to overcome:

But the Rockets must find a way.

They can't be mediocre in the clutch. If Houston finishes the season .500 in close games, they'll finish the season with a lower record than they'd wanted. These games will happen, and Houston needs to execute.

Perhaps it's as simple as putting the ball in Alperen Sengun's hands. Kevin Durant has a habit of turning it over in the face of intense ball pressure. It may be more prudent to let Sengun find him in a spot where he can quickly get a bucket.

Whatever the solution, it's a problem that needs to be solved. If the Rockets can figure out how to execute down the stretch, they should start to resemble the second-best team in the NBA that fans envisioned heading into the season:

Otherwise, they're just a darkhorse contender that can't win close games against their peers.