The Houston Rockets have secured a thrilling 112-106 victory over a depleted Oklahoma City Thunder team, led by Tari Eason's career-high 26 points. Eason's performance was complemented by Alperen Sengun's impressive triple-double of 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, his second of the season and tenth overall.
In the absence of reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander due to an abdominal strain, Oklahoma City struggled to contain the Rockets' offense. The team was already missing two key players in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, making their win all the more impressive.
The Thunder's starting lineup had been depleted by injuries, but they showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the second quarter when Cason Wallace scored 23 points, including an alley-oop lob from Isaiah Joe to Wallace that gave Oklahoma City a 46-32 lead.
Despite the absence of star Kevin Durant, who was booed by Oklahoma City fans during pre-game introductions, he still managed to put up 20 points and help his team dominate the third quarter. With just over a minute left in the fourth, Durant scored on a short jumper to give the Rockets a seven-point lead.
The Thunder's Jared McCain made his first appearance with the team since coming over from Philadelphia, scoring five points in 14 minutes, while Chet Holmgren posted 10 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City.
The win marked Houston's second straight victory, as they continue to navigate their season without some key players. The Rockets' performance highlighted the importance of depth and resilience in the league, particularly when injuries and absences strike.
In the absence of reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander due to an abdominal strain, Oklahoma City struggled to contain the Rockets' offense. The team was already missing two key players in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, making their win all the more impressive.
The Thunder's starting lineup had been depleted by injuries, but they showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in the second quarter when Cason Wallace scored 23 points, including an alley-oop lob from Isaiah Joe to Wallace that gave Oklahoma City a 46-32 lead.
Despite the absence of star Kevin Durant, who was booed by Oklahoma City fans during pre-game introductions, he still managed to put up 20 points and help his team dominate the third quarter. With just over a minute left in the fourth, Durant scored on a short jumper to give the Rockets a seven-point lead.
The Thunder's Jared McCain made his first appearance with the team since coming over from Philadelphia, scoring five points in 14 minutes, while Chet Holmgren posted 10 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City.
The win marked Houston's second straight victory, as they continue to navigate their season without some key players. The Rockets' performance highlighted the importance of depth and resilience in the league, particularly when injuries and absences strike.
so like okay, Rockets just went all out against Thunder and it was insane!!! 
Tari Eason's 26 points are no joke but Alperen Sengun's triple-double is even crazier 
how did he do that?! his stats are crazy. I'm impressed by Oklahoma City though they were missing some big players and still managed to give Houston a run for their money. 
Cason Wallace was on fire in the 2nd quarter, that alley-oop from Isaiah Joe is so cool 
. Durant wasn't booed tho which is nice. but seriously, Rockets' win shows how important it is to have depth and be resilient when things go wrong 
but seriously, 23 points from Cason Wallace in the second quarter was insane 
and kudos to Alperen Sengun for that triple-double 
the Rockets' depth is really paying off here, shows they're a well-rounded team... Durant's still putting up numbers despite being booed by the crowd 
and Jared McCain making his debut and scoring 5 points in 14 minutes? that's some solid contribution 
! Tari Eason is a beast on the court right now, 26 points is no joke 
and Alperen Sengun is straight fire too 
. and Durant still brought the heat despite being booed, 20 points is no small thing 
. depth and resilience are everything in this league, Houston's showing everyone how it's done 
. Tari Eason is on fire 
. And hey, at least the Thunder fans got to see some excitement despite booing KD 
. The Rockets' win is a great reminder that in the NBA, anything can happen 
OMG I'm loving how the Thunder didn't give up even with all those injuries! It's like they wanted to show everyone that they're still a force to be reckoned with 
The Rockets' win is so inspiring too, especially with all their key players out. It just goes to show that depth really does matter 
cason wallace's alley-oop from ishaiah joe was insane 
. I'm not surprised, he's been on fire all season 
. Cason Wallace was on fire and Isaiah Joe made that insane alley-oop lob to him 
.
. And can we talk about Alperen Sengun's triple-double? 11 assists is huge, he's a beast on the court 
!
Their ability to come out on top despite having a depleted roster is truly impressive 
. The Rockets just got lucky, if you ask me...
. And it's not just that, but also the fact that we're already experiencing more frequent and intense natural disasters due to global warming. I mean, can't we just take a break from all this bad news for once? 
he's got those triple-doubles down pat lol 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists? that's wild 
". And don't even get me started on Tari Eason's performance - he was ON FIRE 
. I guess what really gets me is how important depth and resilience are in the league right now... it's like, if you can just weather the storms and stay healthy, you're golden 
, i feel bad for them though they showed some awesome moments especially cason wallace's alley-oop was fire 
It's not easy being the villain, especially when your own fans are against you. But he showed them what they're missing! The game was so intense and thrilling, I'm still reeling from it