Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another dominant performance, scoring 51 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-11) defeated the Houston Rockets (37-24) 137-128 on Monday night.
Oklahoma City secured its 50th victory of the season, maintaining the top spot in the Western Conference standings. Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s scoring leader, recorded his fourth 50-point game in the past seven weeks.
The All-Star guard shot 18-of-30 from the field, including 5-of-9 from three-point range, and converted all 10 of his free throws. He added five rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes of action.
Jalen Williams provided 24 points for Oklahoma City, while Cason Wallace chipped in 14 off the bench. The Thunder shot 49.5% from the field and made 17-of-37 three-pointers.
Cam Whitmore led the Rockets with a career-high 27 points and 11 rebounds, while rookie Reed Sheppard posted a personal best of 25 points. Jalen Green added 18 points, but Houston struggled to contain Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Rockets were without multiple key players, including Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, and Fred VanVleet. Despite the injuries, Houston led by as many as nine points in the second quarter before Oklahoma City took control.
Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 28 points in the first half, helping the Thunder take a 63-62 lead at the break. The third quarter belonged to Oklahoma City, as they outscored the Rockets 39-27 to build a 102-89 advantage entering the fourth.
Houston made a late push, trimming the deficit to six before Lu Dort hit back-to-back three-pointers to extend the Thunder’s lead to 120-106. A putback by Gilgeous-Alexander pushed his total to 50 points and put the game out of reach.
Oklahoma City capitalized on its aggression, earning 27 free-throw attempts and converting 24. The Thunder also forced 16 turnovers, turning them into 21 points.
Dort finished with 11 points, hitting three triples, while Chet Holmgren recorded 11 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. Isaiah Hartenstein contributed eight points and six assists in the win.
The Rockets shot 48.5% from the field and made 16-of-35 from beyond the arc but struggled defensively without their injured starters. Jabari Smith Jr. added 11 points and eight rebounds, while Aaron Holiday scored 14 off the bench.
