HOUSTON — In an exhilarating comeback, the Houston Rockets triumphed over the Philadelphia 76ers with a 144-137 overtime victory on Monday night, extending their longest winning streak of the season to seven games. Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. were the standouts, each scoring 30 points to propel their team to victory.
The Rockets, who found themselves trailing by as much as 25 points, mounted an impressive rally to force the game into overtime. It wasn’t until the extra period that Houston took its first lead, opening with a 9-3 run to pull ahead by six points. Quentin Grimes of the Sixers managed to narrow the gap with a 3-pointer, bringing the score to 140-137 with under two and a half minutes left in overtime.
However, Houston’s resolve remained firm; Alperen Sengun made two crucial free throws just over a minute from the end, and Aaron Holiday sealed the game with two more free throws with 12.1 seconds left, finalizing the score at 144-137. Earlier, trailing by eight points with under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, the Rockets surged with a 10-2 run to level the score at 131 and push the contest into overtime.
Smith played a pivotal role when he hit one of two free throws, but it was Sengun’s putback following his missed free throw that tied the game with merely 3.1 seconds remaining in regulation. Philadelphia had a fleeting opportunity to win before overtime, but Jalen Hood-Schifino’s shot failed to find the basket.
Quentin Grimes delivered an exceptional performance for the Sixers, achieving career highs with 46 points and 13 rebounds, along with a remarkable eight 3-pointers. This contributed significantly to Philadelphia matching a franchise record of 24 3-pointers in the game.
As for takeaways, the Philadelphia 76ers continue to display tenacity, with their young players stepping up despite a squad hindered by injuries. Grimes, in particular, has been making waves, recording at least 40 points in two games this month and exceeding 30 points on four occasions.
On the Rockets’ end, consistency remains an area for improvement, especially considering the significant early deficit they faced. Nevertheless, Sengun’s critical rebound and putback shot in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter was a defining moment, sending the game into overtime.
One noteworthy statistic from the game was the combined 46 3-pointers made by both teams, with Houston contributing a season-high 22.
Looking ahead, the Rockets are set to visit Orlando on Wednesday, while the 76ers will be on the road to Oklahoma City that same night.
