Gilgeous-Alexander’s 45 Points Propel Thunder to Double-Overtime victory Over Rockets on Ring Night
Oklahoma City – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 45 points, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 124-118 double-overtime victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night, marking the celebratory opening night following the Thunder’s championship run. The game featured a tightly contested battle against a Rockets team led by Kevin Durant, who finished with 31 points.
The Thunder received their championship rings in a pre-game ceremony, commemorating their historic season. though, the Rockets proved a formidable opponent, pushing the game into extended play. Houston, who finished second in the Western conference last season, entered the game without point guard fred VanVleet, who is sidelined for the season with a torn ACL sustained during a voluntary workout. In his absence, second-year player Amen Thompson, a 6-7 guard, has stepped into the de facto point guard role, contributing 18 points and 5 assists in 39 minutes. The Rockets notably started a very tall lineup, averaging 413 inches in height across the five starters.
Durant, a 15-time All-star, is recovering from a right unalunate ligament injury sustained on April 9th, but opted to delay surgery until after the Thunder’s championship series. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault reported Durant is “progressing” and “right where he should be” in his recovery. Durant signed a two-year,$90 million contract extension with the Rockets earlier this week,after being acquired in a significant seven-team trade.
The game saw several dramatic swings. The Rockets challenged the Thunder late, with Alperen Şengün also posing a threat. The Thunder themselves faced near collapses, mirroring moments from their playoff run last season. Notably, they overcame a 10-point deficit late in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers, fueled by 15 points from Gilgeous-Alexander in the final 4:38. They also rallied from an 18-point deficit in Game 5, securing the win with four consecutive steals and a 40-point performance from Jalen Williams. Indiana later forced a Game 7 after a blowout victory in Game 6, but saw their hopes dashed when Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury early in the game.
The Thunder also faced a seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals and overcame a 42-point defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Conference finals.
Despite the celebratory atmosphere and the hard-fought victory, Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the need for continued improvement. “We have to be humble enough to realize we need to get better,” he stated. “It was an amazing moment. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
