Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, including two from the free-throw line with 2.3 seconds remaining in double overtime, lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 125-124 home win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in the season opener.
Before the game, Oklahoma City’s championship banner was raised into the rafters and the players were presented with their championship rings for last year’s title run.
Then the Thunder and Rockets locked into a wild back-and-forth game, largely featuring Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren coming up with big plays for Oklahoma City as Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant did the same for Houston.
In the end, it was Gilgeous-Alexander coming up with the final big moment.
After Sengun put the Rockets ahead by one with a driving finger roll off a feed from Durant with 11 seconds left, Gilgeous-Alexander drove to the basket and drew a foul on Durant.
The foul was Durant’s sixth, ending his Rockets debut.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who had missed four of his 12 earlier free throws, hit both of his foul shots to put Oklahoma City ahead. Jabari Smith Jr.’s turnaround shot at the buzzer missed the mark to give the Thunder the win.
Holmgren, who fouled out in the first overtime, finished with 28 points and seven rebounds.
Sengun, who sank a career-high five 3-pointers, finished with 39 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Durant scored 23 points and pulled down nine boards.
For much of the game, it looked as if the Rockets would spoil the Thunder’s celebration.
Houston’s big lineup, with four 6-foot-11 players, gave Oklahoma City fits early.
But the Thunder crept back into the game with stingy defense, forced overtime late, then Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren took over offensively.
Houston led by as many as 12 points in the second half, but the Thunder — as they had plenty of times during last season’s title run — didn’t go away.
Oklahoma City struggled from distance throughout the game, but Cason Wallace drained a 3-pointer with 2:01 remaining to pull his team within 101-100.
Gilgeous-Alexander then came up with a steal on the ensuing possession.
Smith was initially called for a foul on Gilgeous-Alexander’s subsequent drive to the basket, though the foul — but not Oklahoma City’s possession — was overturned on review.
Gilgeous-Alexander then drained a jumper to put Oklahoma City ahead for the first time since the second quarter.
Sengun hit a driving jumper over Alex Caruso to put the Rockets back up front with 38.4 seconds left.
After Wallace missed a 3-point attempt, Durant drew a foul from Luguentz Dort with 10 seconds left.
But Durant, who joined Houston after an offseason trade from the Phoenix Suns, missed the first of two free throws.
Durant made the second to put Houston up 104-102 before Gilgeous-Alexander pull-up jumper with 2.6 seconds left to force overtime.
Oklahoma City quickly jumped up six in the first OT thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren, but the Thunder missed their last four shots in the period and Sengun tied it with a putback dunk with 8.8 seconds to go shortly after Holmgren fouled out.
–Field Level Media
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