In another defensive masterclass put on by the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder were able to shut down a potent Houston Rockets offense to notch their 35th win of the season.
Chet Holmgren Shows Off His Two-Way Chops In Win For OKC
It was the same story for the Thunder in tonight’s win, as the team saw a good amount of production from multiple players. The most notable of which came from the Thunder’s young star, Chet Holmgren, who made his presence felt on both ends of the floor.
The former Gonzaga Bulldog finished the game with 18 points and 9 rebounds, while also adding 2 steals and 4 blocks in a great defensive performance. Holmgren also got some good support in the win from other star players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who dropped a team-high 20 points in the win.
The Thunder also got one surprise performance in the win in Ajay Mitchell, who had one of his better games off the bench for the defending champs. The Belgium native finished with a solid stat line of 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in a great performance tonight.
Rockets’ Latest Slump Continues Following Another Loss
It hasn’t been the kindest month for this Houston Rockets team, which has now lost 5 of its last 7 games. The Rockets shot just 34% from the floor tonight, as it seems Houston’s overreliance on its star players for any offensive production is starting to catch up to them.
Some of the recent slump is also due in part to injuries to a couple of key players in Dorian Finney-Smith and Tari Eason, who have both been sidelined with ankle injuries over the last several games. While the Rockets have been slumping, it hasn’t been due to a lack of production from most of their star players.
Star players like Alperen Sengun gave a valiant effort for the Rockets in the loss tonight. Sengun dropped a solid double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds despite the loss. However, it wasn’t such a great performance from Rockets star Kevin Durant, who struggled mightily in tonight’s loss. The former Thunder scored 19 points while shooting a poor 7-for-23 from the floor as Oklahoma City’s defense thoroughly locked up the all-time great.
Impact On the Western Conference Standings
There was a little bit of movement for one team tonight in the standings, as the Rockets’ loss moved them down to the sixth spot, swapping spots with the Los Angeles Lakers. The win for the Thunder keeps them firmly in first place in the West, as they now grow their lead for the top spot to six games over the second-place Denver Nuggets.
The win tonight also makes the Thunder the first team to win 35+ games this season, and moves them to an NBA-best record of 35-7 through the midway point of the season.
