With the Cavaliers down two points, Darius Garland, their potential All-Star guard and 90 percent free-throw shooter, sat alone at the line with the chance to give Cleveland the lead. Even if he failed to make all three free throws, Cleveland, via a Flagrant One on the Rockets, would have the ball with a chance to seal the game.

In a bizarre finish, the Rockets (29-14) had a huge win over the Cavs (36-7). Alperen Sengun made his late free throws, and Darius Garland did not.

HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left and Darius Garland missed two of three free throws after that to allow the Houston Rockets to hold on for a 109-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell combined for 72 points in the defeat, losing three in a row for the first time this season.

Here’s your latest NBA Rewind! There are a couple of Western Conference teams that the public, outside of understandably biased fan bases, just refuses to accept as a threat in the West. The Houston Rockets and LA Clippers have been proving themselves left and right lately.

Amen Thompson's athleticism and play in his second year has been key for Rockets who have ascended to being one of NBA's top four teams.

The venue had changed, but the storyline was playing out the same as the Houston Rockets were in danger of coughing up yet another double-figure lead in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The NBA champion Boston Celtics dominated the Dallas Mavericks in a Finals rematch on Saturday as the Houston Rockets took the Cleveland Cavaliers down a peg and Victor Wembanyama ended

In a game that saw the Rockets take a 19-point lead, Cleveland was able to tie the contest. Darius Garland at the free throw line with the chance to tie the game with 1:51 left in the contest, a similar situation to Wednesday’s matchup with Houston. Instead of missing two, Garland sank them both at the charity stripe to bring the game even at 124.

The Grizzlies had three players (Jaren Jackson, Desmond Bane, and Luke Kennard) go for over 20 points and Kennard hit seven three-pointers. Ja Morant played the role of facilitator with 16 points (5-9 FG) and 13 assists to fall one dime shy of a season high. He was also active on the defensive end of the floor.

Some scrappy plays and a few questionable calls contributed to a tough road loss for the Cavs. Donovan Mitchell also missed a pair of jumpers in the final seconds.

Lasting 22 minutes, Czech starter Vit Krejci tallied nine points to go with three assists and one rebound. Following 0/4 in his previous showing, Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic missed all of his nine shots from the field on the way to two points,