“Let go of the rope”: Rockets collapse in home opener with shocking loss to Charlotte

After building an 18-point lead in the first half, the Rockets collapsed in the second half in a 110-105 home loss (box score) to Charlotte at Toyota Center. It was the first game of the 2024–25 NBA regular season for both teams.

The Hornets (21-61) were 20 games worse than the Rockets (41-41) last season, and Charlotte played the second half without two of its more established starters in Brandon Miller and Mark Williams, both of whom were sidelined with injuries.

Still, the Rockets were outscored by 21 points in the final 24 minutes of Wednesday's game. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds, while Tre Mann contributed 24 points off the bench. Both guards shot 50% from the field.

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 25 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals, although he did much of that damage in the first half and was limited in the second half by Grant Williams and a smaller Charlotte lineup. Jalen Green scored a team-high 28 points for Houston despite making just 9 of 23 shooting (39.1%) and 5 of 15 from 3-point range (33.3%).

“Fred is getting open looks,” head coach Ime Udoka said of Fred VanVleet, who has had his own shooting issues. “I don’t think he’ll play 2-for-11 or 4-for-18 that much, so that stands out. And Jalen, even the 5-on-15, wide open, looks…you do two” or three more of those and they adjust some. You want guys to stay confident and take those shots.

“I just missed shots today that I don’t normally miss,” said Sengun, who made 10 of 22 shots from the field (45.2%). “I wasn’t at my best today.”

Overall, Houston shot just 38 of 103 (36.9%) overall, 13 of 43 from 3-point range (30.2%), and they had a commanding 56-43 advantage in rebounding.

“In the second half we let go of the rope,” Udoka said. “Shots aren't always falling, but you can still rely on defense and continue to play the right way and do the little things like we did in the first half. Offensive rebounds and keeping them off the glass. “It kind of turned around in the second half, they dominated us on the boards and we weren’t on our guard.”

Houston resumes its 2024-25 schedule Friday against Memphis, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Central in another home game from Toyota Center. Veteran center Steven Adams was unable to play on Wednesday due to a serious left calf injury and his status for Friday's game is unknown.

More: As chemistry develops, Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard is excited about making his NBA regular-season debut

This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: “Let go of the rope”: In a stunning opener, the Rockets collapse against the Hornets