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 The Thunder played a significant role in helping establish an NBA
record for point disparity in two halves of the same game, stifling
the Houston Rockets in the second half en route to a 104-92 comeback
win.
Blitzed by the Rockets' perimeter shooting in the second quarter,
the Thunder turned to their third-ranked defense and erased a
14-point halftime deficit. After Houston tallied a season-high 73
points in the first half, the Thunder surrendered just 19 points
after the break, with the 54-point disparity going down in the
annals as the largest ever.
The 19 points tied the second-lowest total posted in the second half
of an NBA game, and a Houston franchise low for a second half.
"That's inspiring, but like I would tell the guys it's like an NBA
season," Brooks said. "This game, giving up so many points and then
locking up on the defensive end allowing them zero 3s is kind of
like the ups and downs of a season.
"We've had some moments that we haven't played to our standards, but
we still keep chipping away and figuring out ways to get better."
One move that resonated with the Thunder was Brooks showing the team
all 12 3-pointers the Rockets drilled in the first half. Oklahoma
City responded by limiting Houston to 7-for-36 (19.4 percent)
shooting from the floor following intermission, including 0-for-14
from behind the arc.
Forward Kevin Durant paced the Thunder (29-10) with 36 points,
including 10 in the third quarter when he matched the Rockets'
output that period. His 3-pointer with one-tenth of a second left
pulled the Thunder even entering the fourth, and Oklahoma City took
the lead for good at 86-85 when guard Jeremy Lamb drilled a
3-pointer with 11:18 to play.
Thunder forward Serge Ibaka posted 21 points, 15 rebounds and five
blocks, and point guard Reggie Jackson added 23 points and six
steals.
Oklahoma City never found its offensive rhythm, shooting just 42.5
percent overall, but its suffocating defense proved sufficiently
effective.
"It was special to see everybody play for each other and not worry
about who missed a shot," Durant said. "We just didn't let it affect
our defense, and we were able to come down and stifle them a little
bit and get them out of their rhythm."
Houston guard James Harden totaled 16 points — none in the second
half — with seven rebounds and eight assists. Five other Rockets
scored in double figures, but forward Terrence Jones' six points led
the way in the second half.
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"We didn't get shots," Harden said. "We missed layups, a
couple errant turnovers in transition that we could have
converted on. Just small things."
The Rockets rediscovered their dormant 3-point shooting in the
second quarter, and it propelled Houston to a breathtaking
scoring exhibition.
Keyed by reserve guard Aaron Brooks and reserve forward/center
Donatas Motiejunas, the Rockets (26-15) hit nine of 14 treys in
the period, with both Brooks and Motiejunas closing the first
half 3-for-4 from deep. Houston rode a stretch of four
consecutive 3s to a double-digit lead, 58-48, wiping out a 41-34
Oklahoma City advantage with a 24-7 blitz.
Durant pulled the Thunder to within 63-60 largely from the line
before Houston closed the half with a flourish and two last 3s,
one from Motiejunas, another from forward Chandler Parsons for a
73-59 lead.
For Houston, the second half served as a stark contrast from the
first.
"We were getting the ball moving and we really had a much better
pace in the first half," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "We
just didn't sustain our pace in the second half."
NOTES: The Thunder entered play Thursday ranked third in the NBA
in defensive rating, allowing 98.2 points per 100 possessions.
That stat offers another sign of roster growth, with the Thunder
improving from ninth two seasons ago (100.0) to fourth last
season (99.2). "I don't think our guys get enough credit for the
defensive commitment that they bring," Thunder coach Scott
Brooks said. "They're terrific offensive players, and they've
done a great job of improving in that area of the floor, but
defensively we've always been pretty good the last three years
or so." ... The Rockets displayed a penchant for late-game
rallies recently, continuing that trend with a 33-point fourth
quarter in their 103-100 win over the Pelicans in New Orleans on
Wednesday night. "I don't like the fact that we get off to
lethargic starts at times, but there are some nights in the NBA
where you get off to bad starts," Rockets coach Kevin McHale
said. "They've shown an ability to come back."
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