Crucial Overtime Run Guides Cavaliers To Win Over Rockets

A 9-0 run in overtime gave Cleveland the lead for good in an exciting 135-130 victory over Houston.

48 minutes of regulation basketball was not enough time to decide a winner between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets on Monday night.

One team, however, distanced itself from the other for good in overtime.

That team was the Cavaliers, who earned their second consecutive win and moved to 2-0 in their current homestand with an exciting 135-130 victory.

With the score tied at 122 apiece entering the period, a Jarrett Allen alley-oop dunk and Houston layup made the score 124-124 with 3:45 remaining in overtime. Cleveland then scored the next nine points, courtesy of layups from Max Strus, Donovan Mitchell, and Sam Merrill, as well as a three-pointer from Merrill.

The 9-0 run from the Wine and Gold put them ahead 133-124 with 1:01 left in the period, and they did not surrender this lead.

Dec 18, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) dunks in overtime against the Houston Rockets at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse / © David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

In overtime, the Cavaliers shot 5-for-8 (62.5%) from the field, while holding the Rockets to just 3-for-13 (23.1%) and blocking four of their shots.

This was the Cavaliers’ second overtime game and victory this season, with their first of each coming back on November 21 in an NBA In-Season Tournament Group Play contest against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Also, according to @CavsNotes on X, this was Cleveland’s 11th consecutive overtime win, which is tied for the second-longest overtime winning streak in NBA history.

Longest OT win streaks in @NBAHistory:

13 - NOP (4/2/06-2/6/08)
11 - CLE (3/14/22-active)***
11 - HOU (3/9/14-1/10/16)
11- ATL (4/11/95-11/26/97)
11- SAS (11/13/79-2/8/83) https://t.co/33TArC1Ll0

— Cavs Notes (@CavsNotes) December 19, 2023

After the game, Strus explained that it took a team effort for the Wine and Gold to seal the victory in overtime.

“Just some grittiness, getting stops near the end,” Strus said. “Keep relying on Isaac [Okoro] to shut down their guys, and have the big fella [Allen] save the day again. Just getting stops, coming together, finding a way to score, and [finishing] the game.”