Portland Trail Blazers: 4 positive takeaways from loss to Rockets

The Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets are two of the top teams in the Western Conference. They squared off for the second time this season on Tuesday night, with the Rockets snapping Portland’s 13-game win streak.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets played an intense, back and forth game that saw 17 lead changes and 10 ties Tuesday night. The Blazers led after the first quarter, were tied at halftime, led by one after the third, and then got outscored in the fourth, 29-24.

The Rockets grabbed the lead early in the fourth and never gave it up. They won 115-111, extending their winning streak to six games and snapping the Blazers’ 13-game winning streak.

The Blazers’ star guards, Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, were quiet most of the night and had a hard time getting anything going on the offensive end.

Lillard finished with 20 points, six assists and four rebounds, shooting 5-of-17 from the field and 0-for-7 from the 3-point line. McCollum finished with eight points, three assists, two rebounds and shot 4-of-15 from the field and 0-for-5 from the 3-point line.

Portland had no answer for James Harden, who scored 42 points, dished seven assists, grabbed six rebounds and got to the free throw line 15 times. The Blazers are now 0-2 against the Rockets this season and have one more game at Houston on April 5.

Even though the Blazers lost, there were some positive things to take away from the game as the Blazers get ready for the playoffs.