Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered a stellar performance, scoring 32 points—20 of which came in the second half—to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 111-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. With the win, the Thunder secured a spot in the NBA Cup Final, extending their winning streak to five games. They’ll face the Milwaukee Bucks, who defeated the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 in the Eastern Conference semifinal, in Tuesday’s championship game. Notably, the NBA Cup title game will not count toward regular-season standings.
The Thunder had a balanced offensive effort, with Isaiah Hartenstein contributing 21 points, Jalen Williams adding 20, and Luguentz Dort finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds. For the Rockets, Amen Thompson led the way with 19 points, while Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Despite being one of six Houston players scoring in double figures, the Rockets struggled to keep up in the second half.
Takeaways:
- Rockets: Fred VanVleet’s 3-point shooting slump persisted. Over his last three games, he made only 6 of 29 attempts from beyond the arc and shot a dismal 1 of 11 against the Thunder.
- Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander overcame a slow start by capitalizing on free throws, making 14 of 15 from the line. This effort allowed him to exceed his season average of 30.2 points per game.
Key Moment:
Oklahoma City pulled away with a decisive 13-3 run late in the fourth quarter, opening up a 97-82 lead with 4:57 remaining, turning a close contest into a comfortable win.
Key Stat:
The Thunder scored a remarkable 70 points in the second half, overturning a 42-41 halftime deficit and cruising to victory.
Up Next:
The Thunder will face the Bucks in Tuesday’s NBA Cup championship game before resuming regular-season play on Thursday against the Orlando Magic. The Rockets return to action Thursday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
