Rockets
Thunder Survive Sengun's 39, Outlast Rockets 125-124 in Double OT
Oklahoma City beat Houston 125-124 in double overtime after both teams were tied 104-104 at the end of regulation and 115-115 after the first extra period. The Thunder turned 22 Rockets turnovers into 28 points and got 36 points from their bench to survive a 39-point night from Alperen Sengun. Both teams open the season 0-0 after the game.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 49 d ago01The story of the nightTwo overtimes to settle itHouston led after each of the first two quarters, 30-27 and up 57-51 at the half, before Oklahoma City clawed back…
Houston led after each of the first two quarters, 30-27 and up 57-51 at the half, before Oklahoma City clawed back with a 24-22 third quarter and a 29-25 fourth to force overtime tied at 104-104. The first overtime was even again, 11-11, sending the game to a second extra period tied 115-115. The Thunder won that final stretch 10-9. Twenty-two lead changes for each team show how tight it stayed from start to finish, with Houston's biggest lead at 12 and Oklahoma City's at just 6.
02Sengun's career night wasn't enoughAlperen Sengun scored 39 points on 12-of-24 shooting with 11 rebounds and 7 assists in 48.9 minutes, going 5-of-8…
Alperen Sengun scored 39 points on 12-of-24 shooting with 11 rebounds and 7 assists in 48.9 minutes, going 5-of-8 from three and 10-of-11 at the line. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander matched him for OKC with 35 points on 12-of-26 shooting, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in 47.2 minutes. Chet Holmgren added 28 on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting with 7 rebounds. Kevin Durant finished with 23 points and 9 rebounds for Houston.
03Turnovers and the bench decided itHouston committed 22 turnovers to Oklahoma City's 11, and the Thunder converted those extra possessions into 28…
Houston committed 22 turnovers to Oklahoma City's 11, and the Thunder converted those extra possessions into 28 points off turnovers compared to just 12 for the Rockets. Oklahoma City's bench also outscored Houston's, 36-24, led by Ajay Mitchell's 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting in only 14.6 minutes. The Thunder ran off 16 fast-break points to Houston's 2. Houston countered by dominating the boards 73-49 and out-scoring Oklahoma City's bench group on raw shooting efficiency, but it wasn't enough to offset the turnover margin.
04Shooting numbers were mirror imagesBoth teams shot almost identically from the field: Houston went 43-of-97 (44.3%) and Oklahoma City went 46-of-104…
Both teams shot almost identically from the field: Houston went 43-of-97 (44.3%) and Oklahoma City went 46-of-104 (44.2%). From three, neither team shot well — the Rockets hit 11-of-39 and the Thunder just 13-of-52. The difference showed at the free-throw line and in the paint, where Oklahoma City scored 50 points to Houston's 44 and made 20-of-25 free throws to the Rockets' 27-of-31. Cason Wallace added 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for Oklahoma City, and Isaiah Hartenstein chipped in 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
05What it means for both teamsBoth teams entered the game 0-0, so this was the season opener for each.
Both teams entered the game 0-0, so this was the season opener for each. Oklahoma City escapes with a win despite a rough shooting night from deep and a heavy rebounding deficit, showing it can win ugly by forcing turnovers and getting bench scoring. Houston will look back at 22 turnovers and a 12-point pts-off-turnovers deficit as the difference in a game it otherwise controlled on the glass and shot comparably to its opponent from the field.
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