Three Takeaways from the OKC Thunder's Road Victory Over Houston
After falling to Houston in early December, the Oklahoma City Thunder took care of business on Sunday evening, defeating the Rockets 123-110 on the road.
In the first meeting between the two squads, OKC had an abysmal shooting performance, knocking down just 27.6% of their 3-point attempts.
Despite a slow start, the Thunder reversed its fortunes on Sunday, shooting 48.6% from beyond the arc. With the win, Mark Daigneault's team is now tied for first place in the Western Conference at 40-17.
Here are three takeaways from Oklahoma City's victory over the Rockets.
Even with a slow start, OKC can claw its way back into any contest
The Thunder struggled in the first half, trailing Houston by 16 points with just five minutes left in the second quarter.
Early in the game, the Rockets were getting open shots and consistently finding the bottom of the net while Oklahoma City had trouble getting its shots to fall.
With five minutes left until halftime, however, OKC began to turn the tides, embarking on a 17-5 run that cut Houston's lead to four. Early in the third quarter, the Rockets began to pull away once again, building a 71-62 lead with eight minutes and 41 seconds left in the frame.
Shortly after, the Thunder went on another impressive run, overtaking Houston around four minutes later on a Jaylin Williams tip-in.
With momentum on OKC's side, Daigneault's squad took control of the game and went into the fourth quarter with a four-point advantage that they would not relinquish.
Eventually winning by 13 points, the victory makes Oklahoma City the league leader in double-digit comeback wins this season.
The team's youth, effort and defensive ability have helped keep the Thunder in contention even when they are trailing by what seems like an insurmountable margin.
By forcing turnovers, blocking shots, hustling up and down the floor and relentlessly attacking its opponents, OKC is rarely out of any contest.
Holmgren wins battle of young big men
One of the main catalysts to the Thunder's comeback on Sunday night was rookie sensation Chet Holmgren.
Squaring off against Alperen Şengün, another talented young center who has earned plenty of praise this season, Holmgren tallied 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and one steal while shooting 11-for-16 from the field and 5-of-8 from 3-point range.
During the game, the former Gonzaga standout became the first rookie in NBA history to record 150 blocks and make 100 3-pointers in the same season.
While Şengün finished Sunday's contest with a decent stat line, the Rockets center struggled against Holmgren and turned the ball over six times in 30 minutes on the floor.
After some Thunder fans voiced their displeasure on social media due to Sam Presti deciding to take Tre Mann over Şengün in the 2021 NBA Draft, it appears that Oklahoma City ended up with the right big man for the team's system and culture.
Hayward still figuring out his role in OKC
After an 0-for-3 outing against the Rockets on Sunday night, former Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward has scored just eight points in three games as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Since arriving in the Modern Frontier, Hayward has gone 3-for-12 from the field with all three field goals coming against the Washington Wizards. The 14-year veteran has also tallied 14 rebounds and three assists since being traded to the Thunder.
While the aforementioned stats may not seem like a positive sign, Hayward has been able to contribute in key spots, playing solid defense down the stretch against the Clippers and dishing out an assist to Cason Wallace that helped fuel OKC's run against the Rockets.
With Hayward playing just three games thus far with the Thunder, there is still plenty of time before the postseason for the versatile forward to figure out where he fits on the team's roster.
With Hayward's skill set and the selfless flashes of his game that have already come to fruition for Oklahoma City, Presti's most recent addition should be able to contribute more as he gets used to playing with his new teammates.
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