Thunder vs. Rockets Takeaways: A Collective Defensive Effort Leads To Second Straight Win

The Houston Rockets limited the offensive production of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander en route to a 112-106 victory over the Thunder.

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets (13-38) recorded their second straight win in a 112-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-27) Wednesday night inside the Toyota Center.

Here are three takeaways from the win. 

Limiting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came into the game fifth in the league in scoring, averaging 30.9 points. And after scoring 31 points in a loss to the Golden State Warriors two nights prior, Gilgeous-Alexander had recorded five straight 30-plus performances.

But against one of the league's top scorers, the Rockets had one of their best defensive performances. They limited SGA to 24 points on an inefficient 7-of-23 shooting.

He did shoot 10-of-10 from the foul line. But the Rockets became more discipline with their defensive approach during the second half, which limited Gilgeous-Alexander's free-throw attempts to three.

"It showed that we were playing some great defense, and our help defense was great," coach Stephen Silas said. "With him [SGA] it was about doing everything that we can to stay down on his shot fakes. Keeping our hands down." 

Silas described the defense played on SGA as a team effort. He credited several players for their defensive play. But Silas emphasized the defensive performances of Daishen Nix and Jae'Sean Tate as Houston's top contributors. 

Eric Gordon continues to show the Rockets how to win:

Eric Gordon led the Rockets in scoring with 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting. But for the second game in a row, Gordon's veteran presence was his most significant contribution.

"My mentality is all about winning," Gordon said. "I tell the guys all the time, 'just go out there and be yourself.' It is all about giving these young guys confidence. Those guys want it. 

"We are going to make mistakes, but we hung in there and have found ways to win. Trying to find ways to win in close games is how you grow as a team."

With 53.2 seconds left in the third quarter, the Rockets trailed the Thunder by six. It was Houston's largest deficit of the night. And after leading by 12 late in the first quarter, the momentum had shifted in favor of the Thunder.

Silas said Gordon settled everyone down to help the team regain its composure. And following his floater on Houston's next possession, the Rockets outscored Oklahoma City 32-20 en route to their second consecutive win.

"Eric was so steady," Silas said. "He played well. But that veteran presence where we can calm everybody down when the moment isn't so great, his steady presence was important."

Effort leads to Tari Eason's career performance:

During his post-game press conference, Silas used Tari Eason's 21-shot attempts as an analogy to illustrate his impact against the Thunder.

"The 21 shots are not indicative to play calls or anything like that," Silas said. "It's indicative of his efforts. I thought he played a very good game."

He elevated Houston's play on both ends with his hustle and effort. As a result, Eason finished the night with a career-best 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Eason's most impressive play of the game took place with 9 minutes and 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He recorded four offensive rebounds as a result of three missed layups. On his final attempt, Eason completed an And-1 basket.

"Anytime I step onto the court, I am going to bring a lot of energy and hustle," Eason said. "On that possession, K.J. [Martin] and I thought we were getting fouled, but the refs did not call anything. So, I had to finish through the contact."

Best performance:

Could it be any other player not named Tari Eason? The rookie prospect from LSU scored a career-high in points. But his biggest contributions came with his rebounding. Eason recorded 13 rebounds, but 12 came on the offensive glass.

Worst performance:

Outside of one 3-point field goal made, Garrison Mathews made the smallest contribution out of all the players who stepped onto the court for the Rockets.

Final Words:

"It started this morning during shootaround, I could tell there was good focus. I could tell we were paying attention to the coverages. There were a few special coverages that we did and executed well. We have had a stretch of good shootarounds that led to good defensive games." — Stephen Silas

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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