ANOTHER COLLAPSE

Rockets blow 19-point third-quarter lead, fall to Lakers

This has become the Rockets calling card this season.

After building yet another monster lead, the Rockets fell apart down the stretch in a blaze of missed threes and rebounds, falling 111-106 on the road to the desperate Lakers.

The Rockets had a 19-point lead with just over 6 minutes left in the third quarter.

Official Scott Foster, long-time nemesis of Chris Paul and the Rockets, certainly had his moments in this one. Both James Harden (30 points) and Paul (23 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) fouled out, with the Lakers enjoying a 33-15 advantage in free throws.

No question Foster was an issue, but he didn't put that brickfest up late as the Rockets clanged iron on just about every triple attempt they tossed up... and they weren't attacking the basket. Gerald Green was particularly awful, going 0-8 from distance.

This has happened too many times to the Rockets to dismiss this as a fluke. They've let some very important games get away this season.