Four Houston Postseason Sports Wins Tainted by Eventual Failure
Houston has seen its fair share of sports heartbreak. Whether it’s the Astros, Rockets, Texans, or Cougars, the city has often tasted the sweetness of victory in the postseason—only to have that joy crushed by brutal defeats soon after. Some of these wins gave fans hope, ignited belief, and even shook the sports world for a moment. But in hindsight, they now serve as painful reminders of what could have been.
Here are four Houston postseason triumphs that felt monumental at the time—but were ultimately tainted by the failure that followed.
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1. Houston Astros Defeat Yankees in ALCS Game 6 (2019) – Only to Lose the World Series at Home
When José Altuve launched a walk-off home run off Aroldis Chapman in Game 6 of the 2019 ALCS, Minute Maid Park erupted. The Astros had just taken down the mighty New York Yankees and were headed to the World Series for the second time in three years. The celebration was electric. Altuve was crowned a hero. The Yankees had once again fallen short in Houston, and it felt like destiny was on the Astros’ side.
But then came the World Series.
Despite winning three straight games on the road in Washington against the Nationals, the Astros shockingly lost all four home games of the series. Game 7 was a particularly bitter pill to swallow. With ace Zack Greinke dealing a gem into the seventh inning, the Astros were six outs from another championship. But questionable managerial decisions, a home run from Howie Kendrick, and a lack of clutch hitting doomed them.
The Altuve walk-off—once one of the most iconic moments in franchise history—now feels like a cruel setup to one of the most crushing home-field collapses in sports history.
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2. Houston Rockets Force Game 7 vs. Warriors (2018) – Only to Miss 27 Straight Threes
The 2017–18 Houston Rockets were built to dethrone the Golden State Warriors. With a league-best 65–17 record, an MVP season from James Harden, and the addition of Chris Paul, the Rockets seemed poised to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995.
After going down 2–1 in the Western Conference Finals, the Rockets clawed back with two gritty wins to take a 3–2 lead. Game 5 in Houston was their defining moment. Paul’s fourth-quarter heroics had the city buzzing. One win away from eliminating the Durant-Curry Warriors—arguably the greatest team ever assembled—it felt like the Rockets had cracked the code.
Then, disaster struck. Paul injured his hamstring late in Game 5 and was ruled out for Games 6 and 7. Houston dropped Game 6 in Oakland. Game 7 returned to Houston, and despite a strong start, the Rockets suffered through one of the most infamous cold streaks in NBA history—missing 27 consecutive three-pointers. Golden State stormed back and won.
That Game 5 win—once hailed as a breakthrough—became a haunting memory. The injury, the missed shots, and the collapse at home left fans wondering what could have been.
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3. Houston Texans Rally to Beat Bills in Wild Card (2020) – Followed by Total Collapse in Kansas City
January 4, 2020. The Houston Texans erased a 16-point deficit against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC Wild Card thriller. Deshaun Watson’s miraculous escape from a would-be sack and subsequent pass to Taiwan Jones set up the game-winning field goal in overtime. The win was emotional, gritty, and electric—one of the most memorable victories in Texans franchise history.
Houston was on its way to the Divisional Round, and fans dared to believe that this could be the year the Texans finally made a deep playoff run.
One week later, that dream was obliterated in epic fashion.
Against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Texans exploded to a 24–0 lead in the first half. It was a jaw-dropping start against a team many picked to win the Super Bowl. But Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs responded with a historic onslaught—scoring 41 unanswered points en route to a 51–31 win.
That incredible comeback win over Buffalo quickly lost its shine. What followed wasn’t just a defeat—it was a meltdown that became one of the defining moments of the Texans’ turbulent modern history.
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4. Houston Cougars Reach Final Four (2021) – Only to Be Dismantled by Baylor
The 2021 Houston Cougars men’s basketball team was a feel-good story. Under Kelvin Sampson, UH clawed its way through the NCAA Tournament, knocking off Cleveland State, Rutgers, Syracuse, and Oregon State to reach the Final Four for the first time since the Phi Slama Jama days in 1984.
The Cougars had rekindled college basketball magic in the city. Quentin Grimes, Marcus Sasser, and DeJon Jarreau led a tough, defense-first squad that gave Houston fans a real reason to believe in a title.
Then came the Final Four matchup with Baylor.
In one of the most one-sided games of the tournament, Houston was outclassed from the jump. Baylor raced out to a 25-point halftime lead and never looked back. The 78–59 loss was deflating. The dream run ended not with a buzzer-beater or a fight to the finish, but with a dominant beatdown.
For all the incredible moments the Cougars delivered on their way to the Final Four, the Baylor game cast a long shadow. The loss wasn’t just a defeat—it was a reminder of how far UH still had to go to compete with the nation’s elite.
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Why These Moments Still Sting
Houston fans are no strangers to disappointment. But what makes these four moments especially painful is the emotional rollercoaster they created. Each win carried the promise of something greater—a championship, redemption, a breakthrough—but each was followed by a moment that unraveled everything.
In sports, there’s a unique kind of heartbreak that comes not from losing right away, but from winning just enough to believe. These victories weren’t meaningless—they were emotional highs. And that’s what makes the eventual failures so haunting.
Common Themes
A few patterns emerge when you look back at these moments:
Injury misfortune (Chris Paul’s hamstring).
Management missteps (Texans’ blown lead).
Offensive meltdowns (Rockets’ missed threes, Astros’ Game 7).
Running into all-time great teams (Warriors, Chiefs, Baylor).
Houston teams have often shown they can get close—but can’t quite finish the job. These close calls become the “what ifs” that define eras.
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The Legacy of Tainted Triumphs
So, what do these wins mean in the broader legacy of Houston sports?
They’re bittersweet. They’re trophies that never were. They’re reminders that success is fragile, and that in sports, momentum can be an illusion. For the athletes and coaches involved, those wins were earned—no one can take away the feeling of Altuve rounding the bases or Watson dodging tacklers—but they now live in the shadow of the failures that followed.
For fans, those moments are cautionary tales: don’t get too high, because the fall can be steep. Yet, they also speak to resilience. Even after such stumbles, Houston keeps showing up, keeps hoping, keeps believing.
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Hope on the Horizon?
Despite the pain, Houston’s sports scene isn’t without optimism.
The Astros remain perennial contenders and already redeemed themselves with a 2022 title.
The Rockets are building a promising young core under Ime Udoka.
The Texans, with C.J. Stroud and a revitalized roster, have renewed belief.
The Cougars are now Big 12 members and are recruiting at a high level.
Maybe one of these teams will finally break through. Maybe the next postseason win won’t be tainted—but celebrated.
Until then, Houston will carry the weight of these almost-moments, these shining victories that dimmed too soon.
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Sports are beautiful and brutal. In Houston, the line between triumph and heartbreak has never been thinner.
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