Jalen Green stars again as Rockets stretch longest active win streak in NBA
Jalen Green scored 37 points to lift the Houston Rockets to a 132-126 overtime win over the host Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, March 27 (Thursday, March 28, Manila time).
The Rockets have won 10 consecutive games, their longest winning streak since the 2017-18 season.
The Thunder have lost two of their last three.
Houston was 7 of 11 from the floor in overtime, scoring 20 points in the extra period.
Dillon Brooks started overtime with back-to-back three-pointers after Oklahoma City came back to force overtime in the closing seconds of regulation.
Brooks was just 1 of 8 from beyond the arc in regulation.
The Thunder led by 5 points with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth before the Rockets ripped off 8 consecutive points to grab the lead.
But a missed free throw by Amen Thompson with eight seconds to go left the door open for Oklahoma City to tie.
The Thunder (50-22) took advantage as Jalen Williams drained a three-pointer with less than five seconds remaining to tie it.
Green drove to the basket off a timeout but his layup at the buzzer rolled out to send the game to overtime.
Oklahoma City All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sat out with a right quad contusion he suffered March 20 against Utah.
Gilgeous-Alexander played in the three games since but had struggled, averaging less than 20 points per game during that stretch.
Cason Wallace started in Gilgeous-Alexander’s place.
Josh Giddey picked up the offensive slack, tying his career-high with 31 points on 12-of-20 shooting.
Williams added 23 points and 10 assists but was just 3 of 10 on three-pointers.
Houston led by 13 early, jumping out to a 15-2 lead less than five minutes into the game as Oklahoma City started 0 for 6 from the field with 4 turnovers.
The Thunder didn’t hit a field goal until Gordon Hayward’s three-pointer nearly six minutes into the game.
But Oklahoma City came back to take the lead with a 33-point second-quarter, thanks to 10 points off the Rockets’ 7 turnovers.
Oklahoma City rookie Chet Holmgren fouled out for the first time this season, picking up his sixth foul with nearly nine minutes remaining.
Holmgren finished with just 2 points on 0-of-2 shooting. – Rappler.com