Storm-Proof: VanVleet Propels Rockets to 119-116 Win Over Thunder
FV3. Fire With Fire. Quarter Mark.
After surviving two straight road games in overtime, the Rockets looked poised for more extra time once again. However, Fred VanVleet had other ideas. FVV scored a season-high 38 points, as the Rockets surged past the Thunder, 119-116, on Sunday night, for their third straight win. FVV had two huge threes in clutch time, including one from nearly half court and scored 12 of his 38 points in the fourth period. This tightly contested battle was tied six different times in the final 6:30 of the game. But Houston never trailed after VanVleet’s miraculous heave. And Dillon Brooks hit a shot that broke a 113-113 tie, to give the Rockets the lead for good. FVV went 13-for-14 from the charity stripe, including four huge free throws in the final seconds to help Houston prevail. Brooks finished with 16 points and 7 boards, along with another tremendous defensive performance.
For the third straight game, Alperen Sengun had a quiet first half, scoring only 4 points. However, the Western Conference’s Player of the Week woke up once again in the second half. Sengun finished with another near triple-double. and didn’t back down from a tough battle with Isaiah Hartenstein inside the paint. The Wizard scored 20 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists in the win. Jabari Smith Jr. registered a very quiet 15 points and 14 rebounds as he continues to play well after a slow start to the season.
After scoring a season-high 41 points in Houston’s previous win in Philly, Jalen Green had much quieter evening versus OKC. Green scored only 9 points, but only took 6 shots in the entire game. His offensive services weren’t needed like they were in the previous matchup. But let’s not forget to mention his improvement on the defensive end. Dillon Brooks and The Terror Twins may receive most of the credit on defense, but Green has stepped up game on that end of the floor as well this year. And it’s a major reason the Rockets are one of the best defensive teams in the entire league. Despite the low-scoring affair from Green, FVV, Sengun and co. picked up the offensive slack late, as the Rockets survived another thrilling game in crunch time.
Houston withstood 32 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC’s superstar was in pure form, but Tari Eason’s defense on the final play prevented SGA from sending the Rockets to their third straight overtime game. The Terror Twins didn’t have outrageous statistical performances, but their presence was felt like always. Amen Thompson and Tari Eason haunted OKC late defensively. SGA scored only 2 points on 1-for-5 shooting in the final quarter. The Thunder are the one of the NBA’s best fourth quarter scoring teams this season. And Houston’s defense managed to hold OKC to only 20 points in the final frame. The Rockets have really been clamping down in late in games, and it’s impressive to watch this young group grow and gel together on the fly. In a game that saw the style evolve from first half finesse into a second half boxing match, the Rockets were able to fight fire with fire. Houston’s versatility was on full display in this victory. The Rockets can win shoot outs, but they can also win (and prefer) gritty rock fights. And that’s what makes this team such a threat to win on any night, as long as they stay healthy. Sunday’s win over OKC is the first time all season Houston has won a game when trailing entering the fourth quarter. These resilient Rockets are for real.
We are now officially a quarter of the way into the season, and only the homerist of homers would’ve expected the Rockets to be where they are now: second place with a record of 15-6, and only a half game out of the top spot in a brutally competitive Western Conference. At this moment, Houston is on pace to win 60 games this season. However, it’s likely the Rockets finish in the 50-win range at best. Coming into the season, “experts” had Houston winning around 45 games. The squad is definitely exceeding everyone’s expectations a quarter of the way into the season. And if the Rockets can keep the poise they displayed in this thrilling win over the Thunder, the sky’s the limit for a Houston team that’s the surprise of the NBA at the league’s quarter pole mark.