NBA Sunday: Pacers hold off Rockets, Kings rout Mavericks

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

THE RAPTORS KNOW WHAT’S NEXT: Great look at the Raptors’ next challenge from Paul Flannery in this week’s Sunday Shootaround. Find out how Luis Scola is helping the players prepare for what they hope is a long playoff run. Plus a review of the teams in the East title mix, the best quotes of the week and more. Check it out.

The bad Rockets returned, though. The offense went ice-cold and the Rockets coughed up the lead as the Pacers took advantage of a lackadaisical defense on their way to a 104-101 win.

Sunday’s loss to the Pacers was a microcosm of the Rockets this season. At moments they look capable of returning to the Western Conference Finals, and at others, they look like a lottery team. Through the first half and into the third quarter, they were straight-legged and a step behind on defense and stagnant on offense -- relying on isolation plays for Harden, who had 34 points, eight assists and eight rebounds. They looked uninterested.