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Rockets lose 15 point lead in final 7 minutes of 4th quarter in 112-107 loss to OKC
Updated: January 21, 2020 -- 8:03 a.m. CT
Posted: January 20, 2020 -- 11:45 p.m. CT
HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets lost 112-107 Monday evening to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Rockets led 100-85 with 7:18 remaining in the game; but, OKC's Danilo Gallinari got hot from behind the three-point line to lead an improbable OKC comeback.
Or, depending on perspective, an improbable Houston (26-16) collapse. Houston took a 16 point lead into the fourth quarter. OKC outscored Houston 41-20 in the fourth quarter.
Russell Westbrook said, "We didn't get enough stops, make enough shots. We'll go back and look at the film and see number one – defensively, what we can do better, and also number two – figure out offensively where we weren't getting it right – looks that we wanted, so we'll go look at it."
"Obviously, this is disappointing as all of them are disappointing," Mike D'Antoni said after the game. "But, we can choose either to fight back, keep your head up — that's a choice, that's our choice. You can choose to not listen to the noise. You can choose to look at yourself and do better. I'll do the same; everybody does the same; we're fine."
D'Antoni continued, "But, if we don't do that and we start listening or questioning, or doing this and that, then we'll all have problems. I do know their character and I do know that they will take it to heart. We'll come back on Wednesday and try to play better.
Gallinari was 4 for 16 before he swished three consecutive three-point shots. After he made the first two 3-point shots, he was fouled while shooting another three-pointer. He made all three free throws to cut Houston's lead to 100-98. Gallinari scored 9 of OKC's 13 points during the 13-0 run. Gallinari's third three-point shot tied the game at 101.
Gallinari scored 12 points in less than 2 minutes. Houston's 15 point lead disappeared in less than 3 minutes.
OKC (25-19) had a 102-101 lead when Russell Westbrook banked in a 15-foot pull up jumper then stole the ball and scored a driving layup for a 105-102 lead. Houston's lead did not last long. OKC guard Dennis Schröder scored a driving layup. Then, James Harden
lost the ball on a drive into the paint which led to a slam dunk by OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.Houston called timeout; however, after, the timeout, Westbrook missed on a difficult drive to the hoop. Schröder got the rebound and was fouled. He made both foul shots. Houston trailed 108-105 with 55.2 seconds remaining.
Harden scored a floater in the paint to cut Houston's deficit to 108-107; however, on OKC's next possession, Schröder swished a pull-up jump shot in front of Harden with 28.1 seconds remaining.
Westbrook missed a corner three-point shot attempt; and Gilgeous-Alexander got the rebound and was fouled. SGA made both free throws to clinch the win for OKC and hand the Rockets a 4th-consecutive loss. Houston has lost 5 of its last 6 games.
"We stopped doing the things that got us the lead (and) they capitalized on it," James Harden acknowledged.
The Rockets have lost four straight for the first time since November 23 to November 28, 2018 and have dropped three straight at home for the first time since a four-game span from October 17 to October 30, 2018.
"Right now we're at a period where if something is going to go bad it's bad," D'Antoni said. "And, when it rains it pours and it's pouring."
Houston's next game is Wednesday, January 2, at home, versus the Denver Nuggets. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES:
Russell Westbrook had 32 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds while shooting 16-of-24 from the floor. He joins LeBron James as the only players to have recorded a triple-double against each of the current 30 NBA teams. It is Westbrook's eighth triple-double as a Rocket and the 146th of his career (42nd 30-point triple-double). Russ has scored 30 or more points in 10 of his past 17 games played, including five straight.
Westbrook is averaging 32.4 points on 55.9% shooting over his past five games played along with 9.2 assists per game.
James Harden had 29 points while shooting 9-of-29 from the floor (1-17 3FGs). Harden is averaging 40.7 points on 47.5% shooting (41.5% 3FGs) in wins this season and 30.3 ppg on 37.5% shooting (25.0% 3FGs) in losses. Harden has recorded fewer than two threes made per game in two of the past three games after doing so once prior this season (season opener vs. Milwaukee).
The Rockets shot 9-of-45 from 3-point range today to snap Houston's NBA record of hitting 10 or more 3-pointers in 97 straight games. The Rockets also had a 55 games streak with 10 or more threes made per game.
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