Tag: Houston Rockets

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Domantas Sabonis scores 27 points to lead Kings past Rockets

Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets

Domantas Sabonis led the Sacramento Kings with 27 points, and DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 16 points in a strong third quarter to help the Kings defeat the Houston Rockets 120-111 at home on Tuesday night. The win ended the Rockets’ chance to be the top seed in the West for the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

Despite the loss, the Rockets finished first in the West Group A with a 3-1 record, securing a spot in the conference’s final four. Since no group winner went undefeated, tiebreakers were used to determine the top three seeds, and the Rockets ended up between the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and third-seeded Golden State Warriors. The Rockets will host the Warriors in a quarterfinal next week.

Houston started strong, leading 28-19 in the final minute of the first quarter with 3-pointers from Jabari Smith Jr., Jalen Green, and Fred VanVleet.

However, the Kings took control from there. They scored the last eight points of the second quarter to cut the lead to one at halftime. Sacramento then outscored Houston 42-29 in the third quarter, taking the lead for good.

Rockets offered Jalen Green, draft picks to Nets for Mikal Bridges, but were turned down
Jalen Green (NBA)

Malik Monk and Keegan Murray each hit two 3-pointers, alongside DeRozan’s big scoring effort in the third, giving the Kings a 96-84 lead going into the final quarter.

The Rockets couldn’t get closer than six points in the final 12 minutes.

De’Aaron Fox added 22 points for Sacramento, which won its first NBA Cup game after four tries. Monk also contributed 17 points and a game-high 12 assists. Sabonis added seven rebounds and four assists.

Seven Kings players scored in double figures, including Murray and Kevin Huerter with 13 points each and Isaac Jones with 12.

Green led Houston with 28 points, while Alperen Sengun had 24 points, eight rebounds, and a team-high six assists. Tari Eason contributed 16 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, and three steals off the bench, and VanVleet scored 13 points.

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NBA (Basketball)

Rockets edge out Thunder with key late-game plays

Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder

Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 38 points, and Dillon Brooks hit a midrange jumper just before the shot clock expired to give the Houston Rockets the lead for good in a 119-116 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. This game featured the top two teams in the Western Conference.

VanVleet made four free throws in the final 4.6 seconds, tying the season series at one game each and bringing the Rockets within half a game of the Thunder for the top spot in the West. Brooks’ clutch shot with 33.6 seconds left gave the Rockets a 115-113 lead after a chaotic scramble for the ball.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points, while Jalen Williams added 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds remaining that brought the Thunder within one point. Isaiah Hartenstein recorded a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Cason Wallace scored 14 points, hitting two 3-pointers in the final moments to match VanVleet’s late 3-pointers.

The fourth quarter was tight, with seven ties. The Rockets, who were down 93-85 late in the third quarter after Gilgeous-Alexander led a 16-4 run, did not take their first lead in the fourth until VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer with 1:29 left. Wallace responded with a 3-pointer from the corner, but the Rockets kept answering back.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander reacts in the game

Alperen Sengun (20 points, 14 rebounds) and Jabari Smith Jr. (15 points, 14 rebounds) both had double-doubles for the Rockets. Sengun also contributed nine assists, including the assist on Brooks’ crucial jumper.

Aaron Wiggins scored 13 points off the bench for the Thunder.

The Rockets used their strong offensive rebounding to overcome an early five-point deficit. Amen Thompson’s second-chance basket at the 3:38 mark of the first quarter gave Houston a 22-18 lead. Thanks to Brooks’ 10 points, the Rockets were up by eight before Gilgeous-Alexander answered with a 3-pointer to make it 33-28 at the end of the first period.

The Thunder responded with a series of 3-pointers to counter a three-point play by Jalen Green, which had given Houston their biggest lead of 45-34 with 7:58 left in the second quarter.

Kenrich Williams and Luguentz Dort hit consecutive 3-pointers to spark a comeback. Then, Wiggins and Gilgeous-Alexander hit back-to-back 3s to close the gap to four, and the Thunder were only down by two at halftime, 62-60.

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FEATURED

Rockets move forward in NBA Cup after overtime victory against Wolves

Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves

Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double, and the Houston Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-111 in overtime on Tuesday night in an NBA in-season tournament game in Minneapolis.

Sengun finished with 22 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, while Fred VanVleet added 27 points and 11 assists. Houston, which finished with a 3-0 record in West Group A, secured the group title and advanced to the quarterfinals. Dillon Brooks contributed 22 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 19 points, making 8 of 9 shots.

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 29 points and 10 rebounds, but his last-second shot to win the game in regulation bounced in and out of the basket. Julius Randle scored 21 points, and Naz Reid added 19 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, who dropped to 1-2 in West Group A.

The Rockets’ 11-0 run in overtime helped them secure the win. Houston was trailing 105-102 before the run began with a 3-pointer by Amen Thompson and ended with a basket by Sengun, putting the Rockets up 113-105 with 54 seconds left in overtime.

The game was tied 102-102 at the end of regulation.

Alperen Sengun reacts in the 1st half

Randle had given the Timberwolves a 102-97 lead with a driving layup with 3:12 remaining. However, Houston answered with five straight points, including a 3-pointer from VanVleet and a basket from Thompson with 38 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, the Rockets led 84-78, despite Minnesota finishing the period with an 11-0 run. Edwards scored six points during that stretch, including a three-point play from a layup and free throw with 49.8 seconds remaining.

Houston was ahead 57-47 at halftime.

The Rockets started strong, jumping to a 22-11 lead in the first 6 1/2 minutes. Brooks made a basket off an assist from Sengun to cap the early scoring run.

Minnesota came close, narrowing the gap to 47-46 after a layup by Randle with 2:53 left in the first half. Houston responded with a 10-0 run to extend their lead, with Smith scoring eight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers and a 2-point basket. VanVleet finished the run with a driving layup with 26 seconds remaining in the half.