Rockets end trip 2-2 with loss to Kings

Basketball is not brain surgery nor is it quantum physics.

Fans who saw Saturday's 107 - 99 Rockets loss to the Sacramento Kings can voice their opinions through various Internet outlets and discuss how a road trip went from successful (with a 2 and 0 start) to a disappointing 2 and 2 trip in almost the blink of an eye.

I'm not a fan. I'm a member of the media; however, since I'm not yet to the point where I can cover road games and conduct interviews, I'll discuss what I saw from the game.

Many people know the Rockets need to be more than a two-player (T-Mac and Yao Ming) in order to be successful. McGrady (40) and Yao (29) combined to score 69 of the Rockets' 99 points versus Sacto. The rest of the team combined to shoot just 13 for 37 from the field.

Obviously, in order to win a team must score more than the opponent; so, if the Rockets scored 99 points and still lost by eight points, then defense was the problem.

The Rockets' perimeter defense was horrible. The Kings ran pick-and-rolls (even without Yao involved in the defending) and sliced through the Rockets' defense throughout the second half. Kings' players Beno Udrih, Ron Artest, Kevin Martin, John Salmons went into attack mode and the Rockets' defense went into submissive mode.

Since starting the season 6 and 1, the Rockets are 3 and 8. In five of those eight losses, the Rockets allowed more than 100 points.

Despite the constant scoring inconsistency of any Rockets' players not named Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady, the defense needs to improve in order for the Rockets to accomplish anything worthwhile this season.