OKLAHOMA CITY — In a thrilling matchup on Monday night, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 51 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 137-128 victory over the Houston Rockets. This win marked the team’s 50th triumph of the season.
Gilgeous-Alexander continues to showcase his scoring prowess, reaching the 50-point mark for the fourth time in the past seven weeks. As the NBA’s leading scorer this season, he has scored at least 40 points on nine occasions during the 2024-25 season. His remarkable statistics for the game include 18 successful field goals out of 30 attempts, a sharp 5-of-9 on three-pointers, and a flawless 10-of-10 from the free-throw line.
Supporting Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams contributed 24 points to Oklahoma City’s scoreboard, helping the Thunder improve their impressive record to 50-11. On the Houston side, Cam Whitmore achieved career highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Reed Sheppard also hit a personal best with 25 points for the Rockets, despite the team missing key players due to injuries. Houston struggled without Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Tari Eason, who were all sidelined.
The game saw Houston initially holding a nine-point advantage early in the second quarter. However, Oklahoma City surged back, finishing the first half ahead, thanks to 28 points from Gilgeous-Alexander. By the third quarter’s end, he had amassed 45 points, propelling the Thunder into a 102-89 lead heading into the final stretch.
Despite a spirited comeback attempt from the Rockets, reducing the margin to six, the Thunder regained momentum. Lu Dort’s consecutive 3-pointers extended Oklahoma City’s lead to 120-106, solidifying their control of the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander reached his 50-point milestone with a crucial putback, widening the gap to 132-120 with just under three minutes remaining.
**Takeaways:**
– **Rockets:** Although Houston played at an energetic pace, they lacked the depth to keep up with the Thunder’s formidable lineup.
– **Thunder:** A combination of aggression and precision led Oklahoma City to capitalize at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 27 attempts.
**Key Moment:**
A critical play occurred when Dort stole the ball, leading to Gilgeous-Alexander’s fast-break dunk, which pushed the Thunder to a 128-117 lead with less than four minutes left on the clock.
**Key Stat:**
Gilgeous-Alexander made an explosive start by scoring 20 points in just the first quarter.
**Up Next:**
The Rockets are set to face Indiana on Tuesday, while the Thunder will head to Memphis on Wednesday for their next matchup.
