National Basketball Association
Oklahoma City 117, Houston 112
When: 8:30 PM ET, Saturday, February 9, 2019
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Officials: #15 Zach Zarba, #6 Tony Brown, #51 Aaron Smith
Attendance: 18061

Paul George outgunned James Harden in a matchup of MVP candidates, and the Oklahoma City Thunder erased a 26-point deficit to escape with a 117-112 win over the host Houston Rockets on Saturday.

George finished with a game-high 45 points plus 11 rebounds, torching the Houston defense with six 3-pointers plus 15-for-18 free throws.

George's four free throws inside the final four seconds sealed the win after Russell Westbrook slipped through the defense to convert a layup and give the Thunder the lead for good at 113-112 with 26.9 seconds left.

Westbrook matched an NBA record set by Wilt Chamberlain with his ninth consecutive triple-double: 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Thunder posted a 53-39 edge on the glass.

Harden totaled 42 points, his 29th consecutive game with at least 30, but he missed a contested 3-pointer after Westbrook pushed the Thunder ahead.

Chris Paul nearly posted a triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) in his strongest performance since his return from a hamstring injury.

The Thunder matched the Rockets' 42-point second quarter with a 42-point third period, keyed by 7-for-12 3-point shooting. After committing just two turnovers in the first half, the Rockets had six in the third quarter and collapsed with 1-for-9 shooting from behind the arc.

Still, the Rockets led 86-79 before Thunder guard Dennis Schroder closed the frame with 11 consecutive points to pull Oklahoma City even at 90-all entering the fourth. Less than three minutes into the final frame, the Thunder led 98-92, and the Rockets were left scrambling.

Two runs sparked the Rockets' run to their 26-point lead in the first half.

Westbrook pulled the Thunder even with a midrange bank shot at the 1:47 mark of the first quarter before Houston bridged the opening two frames with an 11-0 burst that featured treys from Iman Shumpert, making his Rockets debut, Gerald Green, and Austin Rivers.

When Paul capped that rally with a midrange jumper, the Rockets led 36-25, and Oklahoma City struggled to build momentum against its lackadaisical ball security and the Rockets' perimeter shooting.

Houston had pushed its lead to 58-42 despite a mini-surge from Westbrook before landing what appeared to be a devastating blow: a 10-0 run that included 3-pointers from Paul and Harden plus three Harden free throws after Paul converted a technical assessed against George for protesting a call.

The Rockets were 12 of 24 from deep late in the first half before missing five consecutive 3-pointers, leave the door ajar for a comeback.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Oklahoma City   Houston
Paul George 45 Scoring James Harden 42
Russell Westbrook 11 Assists Chris Paul 9
Russell Westbrook 12 Rebounds Kenneth Faried 12
Paul George 15 Free Throws Made James Harden 14
Steven Adams 2 Steals Nene 3
Steven Adams 2 Blocks Eric Gordon 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Oklahoma City 117 44.9 13-34 24-30 20 53 5 7 19
Houston 112 43.0 16-45 22-30 18 39 7 10 12
Upcoming Games
  • Houston will play their next game at home against Dallas. The Rockets have a W/L % of .606 after a win and .545 after a loss.
  • Oklahoma City will play their next game at home against Portland. The Thunder have a W/L % of .694 after a win and .579 after a loss.