Thunder see off Durant’s Rockets in double-OT after raising NBA title banner | NBA
Thunder fans got everything they wanted Tuesday: a ring ceremony, the unveiling of the championship banner and a victory over former Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, made two free throws with 2.3 seconds left in the second overtime to give the Thunder a 125-124 victory. Last season’s scoring champion had just five points at halftime, but finished with 35.
Durant fouled Gilgeous-Alexander with the Rockets leading 124-123 in the second overtime. The crowd cheered happily as Durant left the game with his sixth personal foul. Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws for the deciding points. Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr missed a 19-foot jumper as time expired, and the Thunder survived in the season opener for both teams.
Thunder fans still haven’t forgiven Durant for leaving the Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors, their biggest rival, in 2016. Durant had 23 points and nine rebounds in his first game with Houston after being traded during the offseason. He was booed loudly during the pre-match introductions and this continued for much of the match.
Chet Holmgren added 28 points and seven rebounds for the Thunder. Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams, named an All-Star for the first time last season, sat out as he continues to recover from a right wrist injury he suffered last season. He had surgery on July 1 and coach Mark Daigneault said he was “progressing.”
Alperen Şengün had 39 points and 11 rebounds for the Rockets.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s short jumper with 2.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter tied the score at 104. Şengün missed a fadeaway at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
With the score tied at 115 in the final seconds of the first overtime, Gilgeous-Alexander missed and Durant rebounded and tried to call a timeout that the Rockets didn’t have. The Thunder noticed this and attempted to alert officials, but no call was made and the game continued into the second overtime.
The Rockets visit the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
The Thunder will visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday for a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals series which the Thunder won in seven games.
