HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets managed to halt the Oklahoma City Thunder’s impressive 11-game winning streak, clinching a 125-111 victory on Friday night. Jalen Green emerged as a standout performer for the Rockets, scoring 34 points, while Alperen Sengun contributed a notable 31 points to the triumph.
This victory allows Houston, currently holding the second spot in the Western Conference standings, to narrow their deficit against the top-seeded Thunder to 2-3 this season. The defeat marks Oklahoma City’s first loss since March 10, ending an impressive run of consecutive victories.
During the game, the Rockets built a substantial lead, going up by 23 points in the first half. However, the Thunder attempted a comeback, closing the gap to nine points with a basket from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander around the 7 and a half-minute mark remaining in the game. Jalen Green responded by contributing five points during a 7-2 run, which widened Houston’s lead to 113-99 halfway through the final quarter. Oklahoma City was unable to get within single digits again after this point.
Jalen Williams led the charge for the Thunder, recording 33 points, while Gilgeous-Alexander added 22 points to surpass 20 points for his 70th consecutive game. This achievement places him ahead of Michael Jordan for the fourth-longest single-season scoring streak in NBA history.
The Rockets’ performance was solid; they expanded their lead to 93-73 in the third quarter after executing a 10-2 drive. Despite an Oklahoma City push led by Gilgeous-Alexander, who posted eight points in a 12-3 run to reduce the deficit to 96-85 heading into the fourth quarter, Houston managed to maintain control.
Takeaways from the game include Chet Holmgren’s performance for the Thunder, scoring 20 points and achieving a career-high with six 3-pointers after struggling with long-range shots in his previous games. On the Rockets side, the victory came even without their key defender Dillon Brooks, who was out due to a one-game suspension following his 16th technical foul earlier in the week.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Houston regrouped in the fourth quarter after the Thunder narrowed the gap to nine points. Green capped the decisive run with a vital three-point shot. Furthermore, Houston showed dominance in rebounding, outmatching Oklahoma City 48-33.
Looking ahead, the Rockets are set to visit Golden State on Sunday night, while the Thunder will face the Los Angeles Lakers in back-to-back games starting Sunday.