Rockets top Thunder in OT for 10th straight win, eye play-in

OKLAHOMA CITY — Houston Rockets proprietor Tilman Fertitta, entrance workplace personnel and members of the assist employees lined the hallway exterior the Paycom Heart guests’ locker room, hollering, hugging and high-fiving gamers after essentially the most shocking profitable streak of the NBA season reached double digits.

The Rockets prolonged their profitable streak to 10 video games with a 132-126 additional time win Wednesday night time over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

It is the second-longest profitable streak within the league this season, trailing solely an 11-game run by the NBA-leading Boston Celtics. It is Houston’s longest profitable streak for the reason that Rockets gained 11 in a row in March 2018, when MVP James Harden led them to a league-best 65-17 report.

It was a milestone second for a franchise in “Section 2” of a rebuild after enduring the agony of ending final within the Western Convention the earlier three seasons.

“Oh, it was lit,” Rockets rising star Jalen Inexperienced stated after a 37-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist efficiency. “Everyone was comfortable, celebrating, screaming. We fought for that one. We labored laborious. That is how we should always react after going 10-0. We’ll nonetheless preserve going. We received what, 10 extra video games left?”

Houston (37-35) has sensible hope of enjoying past the ten video games remaining on its regular-season schedule. The win over the Thunder, who had been with out star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on account of a quadriceps contusion, allowed the Rockets to stay just one recreation behind the Golden State Warriors within the combat for the West’s ultimate play-in spot.

“We will get a play-in recreation,” Inexperienced stated. “We will preserve going.”

Inexperienced, the No. 2 general choose within the 2021 draft whose profession has been marked by inconsistency, has been spectacular all through the profitable streak. He has averaged 29.8 factors over the ten video games, capturing 51.0% from the ground and 45.9% from 3-point vary.

Inexperienced’s 37 factors in opposition to the Thunder and all-defensive candidate Luguentz Dort got here on 14-of-24 capturing, together with 7-of-11 from 3-point vary. He put the ending touches on the efficiency by hitting a step-back 3 over Dort with 1:04 remaining in additional time and driving down the center for a reverse layup in visitors for the dagger on the subsequent possession.

“We all know he is that man,” stated Rockets ahead Dillon Brooks, who scored eight of his 20 factors in additional time. “So we let him unfastened, we let him go and he is on a sizzling streak.”

Houston coach Ime Udoka praises Inexperienced extra for his enchancment in different sides of the sport — particularly protection, rebounding and passing — than for his scoring manufacturing. Udoka confirmed the Rockets one movie clip within the locker room postgame: a clutch nook 3 by Jabari Smith Jr. off of a drive-and-kick dish from Inexperienced that epitomized the belief that the first-year Houston coach has emphasised.

“I believe it is invaluable for our younger guys to undergo this,” Udoka stated of the Rockets enjoying significant video games in late March. “And clearly making the playoffs or play-in will probably be one other step, however simply going by means of what they’re now and approaching the opposite facet of .500 is large for them.”

At 22, Inexperienced is one of some younger, excessive lottery picks making a serious influence for the Rockets throughout their run.

Rookie ahead Amen Thompson had 25 factors and 15 rebounds in Wednesday’s win, the primary 25-point, 15-rebound outing for a Houston participant since Yao Ming in December 2022, based on ESPN Stats & Data analysis. Thompson, 20, the No. 4 general choose within the final draft, has averaged 15.4 factors and eight.8 rebounds whereas capturing 62.5% from the ground through the Rockets’ 10-game run. Houston has allowed solely 107.6 factors per possession with Thompson on the ground throughout that span, which is stingier than the NBA’s top-ranked protection for the season.

Smith, 20, the No. 3 general choose within the 2022 draft, has been stable since sliding from energy ahead to middle after franchise cornerstone Alperen Sengun suffered a severely sprained ankle within the second recreation of the streak. Smith, who had 16 factors within the win over the Thunder, has averaged 13.3 factors and seven.4 rebounds through the streak.

“These guys wish to win,” stated Rockets level guard Fred VanVleet, who Houston recruited in free company to function a pacesetter for the younger workforce. “They wish to do stuff the correct method. They have been doing the whole lot that is requested of them. The end result was not all the time the very best, however over this final stretch right here, we’re beginning to see among the outcomes and you could possibly see them realizing the method works and shopping for in and trusting. Confidence grows, and then you definately run off a pair in a row.

“We’re in the course of that sort of course of proper now and making an attempt to take pleasure in each second of it.”