The Wizards, brimming with energy and enthusiasm after the spate of trade deadline moves last month, averaged 105 points in their first six games after the All-Star break.
The well has since run dry.
Washington has failed to reach 90 points in five straight games. What’s worse, the last four have all been losses, the latest a lackluster 96-88 defeat to Houston on Tuesday night.
With 23 points and 9 rebounds from Luis Scola and 21 points from Kevin Martin, the Rockets (32-31) led by as many as 18 in the second half before the Wizards (21-40) trimmed the deficit to six points down the stretch.
Washington actually led early, going up, 20-13, in the first quarter with a 10-0 run that included a couple of rare buckets by Fabricio Oberto and an Andray Blatche dunk — off a feed from Quinton Ross, who picked off Martin at the other end.
Blatche had 10 of his 18 points by then, but didn’t score again until just over two minutes remaining in the half.
Led by 12 first-half points from Martin, the Rockets answered with a 13-4 run of their own and extended their advantage to 48-40 at halftime.
The Wizards then missed their first six shots of the third quarter before Blatche again dunked on the break. But that basket only cut the margin to 52-42, and Houston took its biggest lead, 67-49, on an inside bucket from rookie Jordan Hill (11 points).
Reserve point guard Shaun Livingston (4 points, 5 assists), with a fresh 10-day contract in hand, came off the bench to spark a late Wizards comeback attempt. Most of guard Nick Young’s 18 points and forward Al Thornton’s 15 points came with the game already out of reach.
