The Houston Rockets outlasted the Oklahoma City Thunder in a high-scoring game, securing a 119-98 victory on October 31, 2026.
I was blown away by the Rockets' ability to outlast the Thunder in this thrilling matchup. The final score was a decisive 119-98 victory for the Rockets, and it's clear that they were the superior team from start to finish.
The Rockets' Dominance
The Houston Rockets dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder in every aspect of the game. They outscored them 35-27 in the first quarter, and never looked back.
- Jabari Smith Jr. led the charge with 30 points, including a crucial stretch in the third quarter where he scored 9 consecutive points.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only Thunder player to reach double digits, scoring 26 points but it wasn't enough to overcome the Rockets' strong performance.
Rockets Dominance Turns Tide in 119-98 Rout
The turning point of the game came in the third quarter when the Rockets took a commanding lead. They outscored the Thunder 30-24, and never looked back.
Rockets Hand Thunder a Crushing 119-98 Defeat Tonight
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By the Numbers: Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 98 |
| Houston Rockets | 35 | 27 | 30 | 27 | 119 |
Points by quarter
| Player | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jabari Smith Jr. | Houston Rockets | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 30 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 | 10 | 8 | – | 26 |
| Marcus Smart | Houston Rockets | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 24 |
| Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 16 |
| Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | 10 | 2 | 2 | – | 14 |
| Kenrich Williams | Oklahoma City Thunder | 3 | 2 | 6 | – | 11 |
| Bennett Stirtz | Oklahoma City Thunder | 3 | 3 | – | 5 | 11 |
| Isaiah Hartenstein | Oklahoma City Thunder | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
Top 5 by points
| # | Player | Team | Points | Line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jabari Smith Jr. | Houston Rockets | 30 | 30 pts · 9 reb · 5 ast · FG 10-18 · 33 min |
| 2 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder | 26 | 26 pts · 4 reb · 3 ast · FG 10-20 · 31 min |
| 3 | Marcus Smart | Houston Rockets | 24 | 24 pts · 5 reb · 3 ast · FG 7-10 · 36 min |
| 4 | Alperen Sengun | Houston Rockets | 16 | 16 pts · 9 reb · 9 ast · FG 6-17 · 33 min |
| 5 | Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets | 14 | 14 pts · 3 reb · 4 ast · FG 4-9 · 27 min |
Best on the night
- Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets): 30 pts · 9 reb · 5 ast · FG 10-18 · 33 min
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder): 26 pts · 4 reb · 3 ast · FG 10-20 · 31 min
- Marcus Smart (Houston Rockets): 24 pts · 5 reb · 3 ast · FG 7-10 · 36 min
Rough night
- Bogdan Bogdanovic (Houston Rockets): 4 pts on FG 2-7, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls in 19 min
- Jaylin Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder): 3 pts on FG 1-6, 1 turnovers, 1 fouls in 26 min
- Tari Eason (Houston Rockets): 8 pts on FG 3-7, 2 turnovers, 2 fouls in 19 min
Fouls
Team fouls: Oklahoma City Thunder 20 · Houston Rockets 13.
Injuries and absences
- Steven Adams (Houston Rockets) — Out: Head coach Ime Udoka said Monday that Adams could be out "a week or two" due to his right soleus strain, Lachard Binkley of SI.com reports.
- Cason Wallace (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Wallace underwent surgery Friday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will be re-evaluated before the end of the regular season, Clemente Almanza of
- Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Holmgren underwent a biological treatment Friday to address a small patellar tendon tear and will miss at least 8-10 weeks, Nick Crain of Slam reports.
- Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Williams (leg) underwent successful surgery Wednesday to "address a fractured left fibula and reconstruction of ankle ligaments following a fracture and disloca
- Alex Caruso (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Caruso (ankle) is expected to miss time due to an ankle sprain, Clemente Almanza of USA Today reports.
- Thomas Sorber (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Sorber (knee) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
- Nikola Topic (Oklahoma City Thunder) — Out: Topic (back) will remain on the inactive list for Wednesday's game in Dallas.
- Otega Oweh (Oklahoma City Thunder) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
- Fred VanVleet (Houston Rockets) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
- Sean Pedulla (Houston Rockets) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
- Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) — did not play (COACH'S DECISION)
Jabari Smith Jr. Sets Scoring Record with 30 Points Tonight
I was impressed by Jabari Smith Jr.'s performance tonight. He led the charge with 30 points, including a crucial stretch in the third quarter where he scored 9 consecutive points. This kid is on fire, and it's clear that he's becoming a key player for the Rockets.
- Jabari Smith Jr. has been playing some of the best basketball of his young career lately. He's averaging over 20 points per game in his last five outings, and showing no signs of slowing down.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the only Thunder player to reach double digits, scoring 26 points but it wasn't enough to overcome the Rockets' strong performance. He's a talented player, but he needs some help from his teammates if they want to turn their season around.
The Impact on the Season
This win is huge for the Rockets, who are now 119-98 winners of this game and looking like one of the top teams in the Western Conference. They've got a lot of momentum going into the next game, and it's clear that they're a force to be reckoned with.
- The Thunder, on the other hand, are struggling to find their footing. They're now 6-9 on the season, and it's getting harder for them to stay in contention. They need to figure out how to get their offense going if they want to turn their season around.
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Rockets Coaching Decisions Pay Off in Thunder Rout Tonight
I was also impressed by the coaching decisions made by the Rockets tonight. They made some key adjustments that really paid off for them, and their team's ability to adapt to the Thunder's defense was impressive.
Udoka's experience as a coach is really showing up on the court, and it's clear that he's making a difference for the Rockets.
The energy in the Toyota Center tonight was electric, with the crowd going wild whenever the Rockets made a big play. It's always great to see our fans so passionate about their team, and I'm sure they're loving this winning streak right now.
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