Rockets’ Comeback Falls Short in Chicago After Brutal First Half
A ferocious second-half rally ignited by Sengun and Durant wasn't enough to overcome an early deficit and Chicago's three-point barrage.
The Houston Rockets gave themselves no margin Monday night in Chicago — and even after nearly pulling off a wild comeback, it was too much to overcome. Houston fell 132-124 to the Bulls in the first game of a four-game road trip, dropping to 43-28 and slipping further in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets buried themselves early, fought all the way back, and ran out of time.
Chicago came out firing, hitting seven threes in the opening frame and jumping out to a 41-21 lead. Houston, meanwhile, couldn’t buy a shot, starting 0-for-9 from deep and falling behind by as many as 20 before the game had a chance to settle.. The Bulls pushed their lead to 22 early in the second, continuing to win the math battle from beyond the arc.
By halftime, Chicago had already knocked down 11 threes, while the Rockets had just two- both coming late in the second quarter. Houston went into the break down 65-48, looking disconnected and a step behind on both ends. Then, Kevin Durant opened the third quarter with three straight buckets, and the Rockets finally found some rhythm.
Alperen Sengun, who the Bulls never fully committed to doubling, quietly dominated inside, finishing through contact and controlling the tempo. Houston chipped away, cutting the deficit to single digits by the end of the third- their first time within reach since the opening minutes. By the fourth, it was a game.