HOUSTON — The home winning streak for the Rockets (9-9) is now at nine games after Wednesday’s convincing 110-101 victory (box score) over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder (13-7).
Reserve guard Aaron Holiday had easily the best game of his Rockets tenure with 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in 27 minutes off the bench. Holiday connected on 6-of-7 shots from 3-point range (85.7%) at Toyota Center, which led the way in a strong 15-of-33 night (45.5%) for Houston’s 3-point shooting as a team.
Other standout players for the Rockets included:
- Dillon Brooks: Team-high 23 points, 4 rebounds; 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%), 2-of-7 on 3-pointers (28.6%)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 6 points, career-high 18 rebounds; 2-of-4 shooting (50.0%), 1-of-1 on 3-pointers
- Alperen Sengun: 21 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks; 8-of-13 shooting (61.5%)
- Jalen Green: 15 points, 7 rebounds; 6-of-12 shooting (50.0%), 1-of-3 on 3-pointers (33.3%)
- Fred VanVleet: 11 points, 9 assists, 3 steals; 3-of-7 on 3-pointers (42.9%)
- Tari Eason: 8 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks; 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%), 3-of-4 on free throws (75.0%)
Sengun drew frequent double teams after a strong start, which helped lead to open 3-point shots for Holiday and many others. Led by Smith and Sengun inside, Houston won the rebounding battle against Oklahoma City by a commanding margin, 53-30.
The Thunder were paced by star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 33 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals while shooting 13-of-18 from the field (72.2%) and 7-of-9 on free throws (77.8%).
In a matchup of top-three picks from the 2022 NBA draft, Smith (No. 3) largely outplayed Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren (No. 2). The 7-foot-1 big man had a game-high 6 blocks but finished with just 4 points and 5 rebounds in 26 minutes, shooting 2-of-9 (22.2%) overall.
Here’s our look at highlights and postgame interviews after Wednesday’s game versus the Thunder, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for the Rockets is Friday’s game at Denver, with tipoff set for 8:00 p.m. Central from Ball Arena.
Rockets 110, Thunder 101. Home winning streak at nine games. Smith with a career-high 18 rebounds. Holiday with a season-high 22 points. SGA with 33 for OKC.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 7, 2023
It’s safe to say if the Rockets never had to go in the road again they would have the best record in the league
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) December 7, 2023
Dillon Brooks has 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting w/7:44 remaining; it is his fourth 20-point game of the season; Brooks averaged 11.3 ppg and 9.3 FGA over the past 4 games after averaging 17.7 ppg and 16.0 FGA the 3 games prior; he entered tonight shooting a career-best 47.9%.
— Ryan Hollins (@TheRyanHollins) December 7, 2023
Aaron Holiday has been absolutely fantastic off the #Rockets bench tonight.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) December 7, 2023
Chet Holmgren career low coming into this game is 9. That was the only time he has scored less than 10 all season. Sengun has held Chet to 4 points tonight
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) December 7, 2023
Right now the Rockets are dismantling the team with the second best record in the West
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) December 7, 2023
Rockets getting some fantastic minutes from Tari Eason tonight. Spacing the floor, making the extra pass, crashing the boards and defending at a high level. 8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks tonight.
Houston up 97-80 with 7:44 to go against a really good Thunder team
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) December 7, 2023
Aaron Holiday is 5-for-5 from three, he just hit the ice-in-my-veins celebration, and the #Rockets lead 97-80 with 7:44 remaining.
Pretty terrific vibes at Toyota Center right now. This feels like a game Houston would have let slip away last season.
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) December 7, 2023
An egalitarian approach to offense really serves this Rockets team well.
— MoiseKapenda Bower (@moisekapenda) December 7, 2023
Rockets get a very good win over the Thunder.
Everyone played their part well, with Brooks and Holiday each scoring an efficient 20+. Jabari grabbed 18 boards, Sengun led the way with 21/6/7.
Back to .500, they have now won 9 straight games at home.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) December 7, 2023
Such a dominant game from Alperen Sengun. One for which the stats won’t do justice.
The Thunder have tried to guard him in every way. With Chet, Fronting with a smaller guy, doubling once he catches it, now they’re playing a zone. Nothing has worked.
He’s a game-high +17.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) December 7, 2023
Aaron Holiday is just hitting everything. 5 Of 5 from beyond the arc. He and Tari Eason have been massive off the bench
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) December 7, 2023
OKC has had no answer for Alperen Sengun tonight. They’ve fronted him, they’ve doubled him – he found open shooters. He went right at Chet Holmgren when matched up. They just triple teamed him the last possession and he scored. They should have just not traded him.
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) December 7, 2023
This game just reinforced a lot of what we already knew, against an elite opponent.
The team defense is exceptional. The point of attack defense is stout and they’re able to scheme ways to take Sengun out of unfavorable matchups. Jabari has really grown up in this regard in…
— RedNinetyFour (@RedNinetyFour) December 7, 2023
I will save my full up close impressions of OKC for a later date, but Rockets soundly beat them tonight.
Wanted to see Chet play well because outside of him
OKC doesn’t offer much around Shai.Shai is great but he could have taken over fully if he wanted to and didn’t.
— StanfordKP (@stanfordkp) December 7, 2023
Josh Giddey is certainly hearing it from this Rockets crowd. Anytime he does *anything*, boos shower down from Toyota Center.
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) December 7, 2023
Ime Udoka plays no favoritism all.
Aaron Holiday is having the best game of his career and he’s playing this one to the finishline (even with Jalen Green still on the bench).
Love it.
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) December 7, 2023
I thought Aaron Holiday was just a depth piece when we signed him this summer.
He’s showing us he’s a legit rotation piece.
Let’s make sure we keep track of this when we evaluate Rafael Stone as a GM.
— ᵂᴵᴸᴸ (@BiasedHouston) December 7, 2023
Fred VanVleet ties Eric Gordon for the fewest games (17) to ever reach 50 made 3-pointers with the #Rockets
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) December 7, 2023
Love this from Ime Udoka on Fred VanVleet:
“[It’s hard] making the right read over and over and not getting anxious or thirsty when you don’t get shots. He doesn’t care about that.”
Pretty perfect encapsulation of #Rockets point guard.
More ⬇️ @chron:https://t.co/ctsd6R3H5O
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) December 7, 2023
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