OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Houston Rockets didn’t care that they beat an Oklahoma Metropolis squad that was lacking its greatest participant, All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Rockets celebrated loudly within the locker room after escaping with a win at one of many hardest venues within the league. Jalen Inexperienced scored 37 factors and Houston gained its tenth straight sport, defeating the Thunder 132-126 in extra time on Wednesday evening.
“It was lit, it was lit,” Inexperienced stated. “All people was glad, celebrating, screaming. I imply, we fought for that one. We labored exhausting.”
Rockets coach Ime Udoka stated it’s all about stacking victories.
“Ten in a row is 10 in a row, regardless if Shai is out or regardless of the case could also be,” Udoka stated. “But it surely’s exhausting to do within the NBA. The blokes are pleased with that effort, and effectively deserved.”
Amen Thompson had 25 factors and 15 rebounds and Dillon Brooks added 20 factors for the Rockets.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who was out with a bruised proper thigh, ranks third within the league with 30.4 factors per sport.
Josh Giddey matched a career-high with 31 factors for the Thunder, one evening after scoring a season-high 25 in a win at New Orleans. Jalen Williams added 23 factors and 10 assists for Oklahoma Metropolis, which entered the evening a half sport behind the Western Convention-leading Denver Nuggets.
Oklahoma Metropolis coach Mark Daigneault made no excuses for the loss.
“Each evening, there’s a mixture of issues you’ll be able to management and issues you’ll be able to’t,” he stated. “You need to be a staff that appears on the stuff you’ll be able to management. We simply by no means need to flip a web page and chalk a whole sport as much as luck or shot-making or refs or something like that. You need a staff that takes full accountability for what we will. We do this after wins, we do this after losses and we’ll do this after this one.”
The ultimate minutes of regulation had been hectic. Giddey hustled to the ball and got a shot to bounce in whereas sitting on the ground a couple of ft in entrance of the free-throw line, placing the Thunder forward 103-102 with slightly below 4 minutes remaining.
Oklahoma Metropolis’s Williams made a contested 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds remaining to tie the rating at 112. Inexperienced’s layup on the buzzer rolled away, forcing extra time.
“Had a good have a look at a shot, however we felt OK, put it behind us and we simply went after it,” Udoka stated.
Brooks hit two 3-pointers early within the additional interval to place the Rockets in management.
“It was massive when Dillon got here out and hit these two, after which we guarded even higher till the top of the extra time,” Udoka stated.
The sport had slightly additional aptitude from the beginning. Confetti from a earlier occasion rained down on the ground proper earlier than the tip.
The Thunder trailed by double digits within the first quarter, however rallied to guide 50-49 at halftime.
The Thunder led 69-62 when Giddey fouled Jabari Smith Jr. Giddey tried to assist him up and Brooks pushed Giddey away and was issued a technical foul. It was Brooks’ 14th of the season, placing him two wanting a one-game suspension.
Oklahoma Metropolis took an 85-80 lead into the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Go to the Utah Jazz on Friday evening.
Thunder: Host the Phoenix Suns on Friday evening.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba