Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Takeaways: Aaron Holiday erupts vs. Thunder as Houston wins ninth straight at home

Aaron Holiday Rockets Thunder Alperen Sengun Chet Holmgren Houston Dillon Brooks Jabari Smith Lachard Binkley OKC

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.

Dec. 6 Rockets-Thunder reaction

 

 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Tom Hardy's Venom And Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man Crossover Teased.
Fan trailer 'Venom: The Last Dance' hints at a clash between Tom Hardy's Venom and Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, sparking exc...
Top News
Top News
The Anxious Generation wants to save teens. But the bestseller’s anti-tech logic is skewed
There’s no doubt about the mental health crisis facing young people. Jonathan Haidt blames our devices – which oversimplifies the problem
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
How to play with Barbie dolls: 6 ways to use the iconic doll as a positive role model at home
If you have a little one who loves to play with Barbie, there are lots of positive ways in which you can encourage them to play in a way that helps their development and self-esteem. We’ll show you how.
GoodToKnow
GoodToKnow
7 Google Docs keyboard shortcuts to get more done in less time
Google Docs is a great free online word processor, and you can get a lot of productivity out of it once you know these keyboard shortcuts.
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Woman Misses Her Freckles So She Paints Them On, Gets Called Out For ‘Cultural Appropriation’
Cultural appropriation in beauty and fashion is nothing new. But today, it seems impossible that white models could walk a runway in dreadlocks, tribal and Native American dress, or geisha makeup and kimonos. Appropriation happens when consumers or companies use and manufacture products that either promote cultural stereotypes or take…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate
For many of us, texting is a huge part of our lives. However, some messages can take an unexpected turn for the bizarre, hilarious, and even downright cringy. The post 50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate first appeared on Bored…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play