The Cavaliers stormed back to tie the game at 107 with just seconds remaining and had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession with the Rockets leading 109-107. Bizarrely, Rockets forward Tari Eason fouled Darius Garland on a 3-point attempt, giving the Cavaliers sharpshooter a chance to tie or win the game at the line.
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.
The Cavs mounted a fourth-quarter rally that fell short Wednesday night, losing to the Houston Rockets, 109-108.
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.
Fans all made the same joke on Wednesday about Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland's late-game choke job.
In Houston’s bizarre win over Cleveland, did Tari Eason and/or broadcaster Craig Ackerman jinx Darius Garland on his late free throws? Fans think so.
Cleveland missed two key free throws in the final seconds of its 109-108 defeat to Houston on Wednesday night.
Darius Garland has been a revelation for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. The Cavs have been perhaps the biggest breakout team this season, leading the league and the Eastern Conference in total wins with a 36-7 record.
Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason is one of the NBA's best wing defenders, a long-armed menace who racks up steals and blocks with regularity. Eason employed a dose of free-throw defense with his trash talk in Wednesday's 109-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to recover from a tough loss, but they certainly won't be getting much sympathy from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Houston Rockets' identity starts with their defense. They're known as a team that wins using physical defense to slow down opposing scoring attacks. However