As the Rockets returned to the court for a rematch in Portland, with the usual pregame rhythm resembling a Jeetbuzz App Download routine before a long night, expectations were set for redemption. After all, the two teams had just faced each other, and this time Houston were supposed to respond. Instead, the game unfolded in a frustratingly familiar way. The opening stretches were labored, though a brief surge of three point shooting from Kevin Durant and Sheppard allowed the Rockets to seize momentum and build a lead. That advantage, however, proved fragile. Early in the fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers quickly erased the gap, and with Avdija and others stepping up, Portland flipped the script. On the other side, Houston found themselves leaning on Durant alone, and the comeback loss was sealed.

In the aftermath, one name inevitably took center stage. Smith, who was given ample opportunities throughout the night, delivered a performance that can only be described as disastrous. Missed three pointers piled up, and when the game tightened in the fourth quarter, he struggled defensively against Avdija. The breaking point came when Sissoko drew a crucial three point foul from Smith, calmly converting all three free throws and allowing Portland to regain full control. By the final buzzer, Smith’s stat line told a brutal story: six made shots on twenty one attempts, zero for ten from deep, and no points at all in the fourth quarter.

Watching this unfold, Durant’s frustration was impossible to ignore. He was far from passive, helping the Rockets establish their lead whenever he was on the floor. Yet support was scarce. As the defense began to trap him aggressively late in the game, his options vanished. Forced passes led nowhere, and possessions stalled. Despite finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, it was a hollow effort that underscored how isolated he had become within the offense.

Head coach Ime Udoka did little to defuse the tension afterward. While he openly criticized Smith for lacking aggression and confidence, he also pointed to the broader collapse, noting how quickly a double digit lead disappeared when a 37 year old veteran left the floor briefly. What went unsaid was just as telling. Smith remained on the court deep into the fourth quarter despite his struggles, and the offensive system itself offered little variety beyond relying on Durant to bail the team out.

Sheppard, the highly touted young guard, also drew criticism. Although he showed flashes earlier, he faltered when it mattered most, missing clean looks from beyond the arc late in the game. His final numbers were respectable, but expectations were higher in decisive moments. As the Rockets look ahead, the loss felt less like bad luck and more like a warning. In the closing minutes, much like wrapping up a Jeetbuzz App Download session only to realize something critical was missed, Houston were left confronting hard truths about execution, accountability, and direction.