The Rockets hit two free throws late while the Cavaliers missed two free throws seconds later, allowing Houston to hold off Cleveland .

Darius Garland is a 90% free throw shooter. That did not matter Wednesday night. The Cleveland point guard had a chance to give his Cavaliers the lead at the free throw line with 2.1 seconds remaining against the Houston Rockets.

The Cavs mounted a fourth-quarter rally that fell short Wednesday night, losing to the Houston Rockets, 109-108.

Fans all made the same joke on Wednesday about Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland's late-game choke job.

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.

The Cavs are rolling thanks in large part to Garland's play, but the East — and Cleveland's — backcourt is a crowded one.

Before the 2024-25 season started, Darius Garland thought about leaving the Cavaliers following their second-round exit from the playoffs.

The Cavaliers still had a chance for the win because of the flagrant foul. They retained possession and set up an inbounds play for a Donovan Mitchell game-winning attempt from the corner. But Amen Thompson got a hand in Mitchell's face, and his shot was well off-target.

Cleveland missed two key free throws in the final seconds of its 109-108 defeat to Houston on Wednesday night.

Despite the loss, the Cavs remain top of the Eastern Conference, although the result snaps a two-game winning streak to leave their record at 36-7 – 11 ahead of second-placed Boston Celtics

James L. Edwards III, Fred Katz and Jay King analyze the Eastern Conference at the halfway point of the season.