OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 factors and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder beat the Houston Rockets 112-95 on Tuesday night time for his or her sixth straight win.
Jalen Williams had 24 factors and Chet Holmgren added 18 factors and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who’re tied with Minnesota for the perfect file within the Western Convention.
The Thunder outrebounded the Rockets 55-46.
“I feel we introduced physicality from the leap tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated. “We didn’t have our greatest offensive sport, however we introduced the battle to them at first. We have been in a position to form of get a lead and keep the lead for a lot of the night time due to it.”
Alperen Sengun had 23 factors and 11 rebounds and Jabari Smith Jr. added 18 factors and 13 rebounds for the Rockets, who additionally misplaced to the Thunder on Sunday. Oklahoma Metropolis packed the paint in opposition to the Rockets within the rematch and held them to 38.9 per cent capturing from the sphere.
“They take away the pocket, clearly, and collapse and crowd, and also you get a bunch of wide-open appears,” Houston coach Ime Udoka stated. “You don’t make that stuff and it stresses all the pieces else out and causes us to power it slightly bit an excessive amount of individually. So we love the appears we bought — a number of wide-open ones — and didn’t shoot it properly tonight in any respect. So, you’ve bought to dwell with the photographs, however, play higher.”
Houston fell aside late within the first half. With the Thunder main 54-48, Rockets guard Fred VanVleet was whistled for a foul on a drive by Holmgren. Udoka challenged the decision and was unsuccessful, then Smith and Udoka have been known as for technical fouls — Smith for questioning the integrity of the officers and Udoka for profanity directed towards the officers.
So as an alternative of Houston trailing by six and getting the ball with a profitable problem, Oklahoma Metropolis made 4 free throws to increase its result in 10. The Thunder led 60-50 on the break after closing the half on a 12-2 run.
Early within the third quarter, Holmgren caught a lob from Williams, dunked it two-handed behind his head and was fouled. Holmgren made the free throw to place the Thunder up 65-56.
Lu Dort missed his first seven photographs earlier than hitting a 3-pointer that put Oklahoma Metropolis up 71-61 and prompted Udoka to name a timeout. The Thunder led 84-74 on the finish of the third as Gilgeous-Alexander scored 9 factors in a three-minute span late within the quarter.
“Simply take what the protection provides me and belief my work,” he stated. “There’s moments, and you may really feel it once you’ve bought it going and you have to be aggressive. And there’s additionally moments once you want your teammates and also you’ve bought to form of play the sport. And it’s one thing that I discover and I attempt to work on each sport, day by day. And I’ve undoubtedly gotten higher.”
A driving dunk by Williams after a bounce move from Josh Giddey put the Thunder forward 96-79. A lob from Holmgren to new Thunder participant Gordon Hayward made it 98-81, and Oklahoma Metropolis remained in management from there.
“Backside line is play higher,” Udoka stated. “They’d three or 4 guys play higher than ours.”
UP NEXT
Rockets: Go to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
Thunder: Go to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
