Rockets' bench depth drives 119-98 victory over Thunder
Houston's 46% shooting and a 19-point run in the third quarter extended their win streak over an Oklahoma City team missing its star center.
By Sakura McCarthy ·
Houston fans saw a team that shot 46% from the field and converted 18 of 41 attempts from beyond the arc, leading to a 119-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night. The result ended Oklahoma City's two-game losing streak, though the Thunder have now lost two straight games after starting the season 4-0.
Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 30 points and nine rebounds. He shot 10 of 18 from the field and 6 of 12 on three-pointers. Marcus Smart added 24 points, hitting 7 of 10 from deep, to help Houston maintain a lead that never fell below 12 points in the second half.
Alperen Sengun returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with lower back soreness. He recorded a triple-double with 16 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists. Kevin Durant contributed 14 points for Houston, which used an 18-4 run late in the first half to build a 55-34 lead.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting for the Thunder. Kenrich Williams and Bennett Stirtz each scored 11 points, while Isaiah Hartenstein and Jared McCain added 10 each. Oklahoma City shot 44% from the field and 10 of 32 on three-pointers.
The Rockets opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run, extending their advantage to 19 points on a three-pointer by Smith with 10 minutes remaining in that period. Houston's lead never dipped below 12 points for the rest of the game.
Fred VanVleet sat out due to right knee injury management, and Reed Sheppard missed his second straight game with low back soreness. The Thunder played their first game since announcing on Friday that Chet Holmgren would miss at least two months with a right knee injury.
Oklahoma City travels to Cleveland on Monday night. Houston hosts Boston on Monday night.
Source: MySA
