National Basketball Association
Oklahoma City 117, Houston 112
When: 8:30 PM ET, Saturday, February 9, 2019
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Officials:
#15 Zach Zarba, #6 Tony Brown, #51 Aaron Smith
Attendance:
18061
By Field Level Media
Paul George outgunned James Harden in a matchup of MVP candidates, and the Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 26-point deficit to escape with a 117-112 win over the host Houston Rockets on Saturday.
George finished with a game-high 45 points plus 11 rebounds, torching the Houston defense with six 3-pointers plus 15-for-18 free throws.
George's four free throws inside the final four seconds sealed the win after Russell Westbrook slipped through the defense to convert a layup and give the Thunder the lead for good at 113-112 with 26.9 seconds left.
Westbrook matched an NBA record set by Wilt Chamberlain with his ninth consecutive triple-double: 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Thunder posted a 53-39 edge on the glass.
Harden totaled 42 points, his 29th consecutive game with at least 30, but he missed a contested 3-pointer after Westbrook pushed the Thunder ahead.
Chris Paul nearly posted a triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) in his strongest performance since his return from a hamstring injury.
The Thunder matched the Rockets' 42-point second quarter with a 42-point third period, keyed by 7-for-12 3-point shooting. After committing just two turnovers in the first half, the Rockets had six in the third quarter and collapsed with 1-for-9 shooting from behind the arc.
Still, the Rockets led 86-79 before Thunder guard Dennis Schroder closed the frame with 11 consecutive points to pull Oklahoma City even at 90-all entering the fourth. Less than three minutes into the final frame, the Thunder led 98-92, and the Rockets were left scrambling.
Two runs sparked the Rockets' run to their 26-point lead in the first half.
Westbrook pulled the Thunder even with a midrange bank shot at the 1:47 mark of the first quarter before Houston bridged the opening two frames with an 11-0 burst that featured treys from Iman Shumpert, making his Rockets debut, Gerald Green, and Austin Rivers.
When Paul capped that rally with a midrange jumper, the Rockets led 36-25, and Oklahoma City struggled to build momentum against its lackadaisical ball security and the Rockets' perimeter shooting.
Houston had pushed its lead to 58-42 despite a mini-surge from Westbrook before landing what appeared to be a devastating blow: a 10-0 run that included 3-pointers from Paul and Harden plus three Harden free throws after Paul converted a technical assessed against George for protesting a call.
The Rockets were 12 of 24 from deep late in the first half before missing five consecutive 3-pointers, leave the door ajar for a comeback.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
| Oklahoma City |
|
Houston |
|
Paul George 45 |
Scoring |
James Harden 42 |
|
Russell Westbrook 11 |
Assists |
Chris Paul 9 |
|
Russell Westbrook 12 |
Rebounds |
Kenneth Faried 12 |
|
Paul George 15 |
Free Throws Made |
James Harden 14 |
|
Steven Adams 2 |
Steals |
Nene 3 |
|
Steven Adams 2 |
Blocks |
Eric Gordon 3 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
| Oklahoma City
|
117 |
44.9 |
13-34 |
24-30 |
20 |
53 |
5 |
7 |
19 |
| Houston
|
112 |
43.0 |
16-45 |
22-30 |
18 |
39 |
7 |
10 |
12 |
Upcoming Games
-
Houston will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Rockets have a W/L % of .606 after a win and .545 after a loss.
-
Oklahoma City will play their next game at home against Portland. The Thunder have a W/L % of .694 after a win and .579 after a loss.
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