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Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 4, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Logan Riely, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP 

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 4: Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 4, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE   Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Logan Riely / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

Article (news)

Oklahoma City Thunder v Houston Rockets

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1743830412825AFP__20250405__2207949677__v1__Preview__OklahomaCityThunderVHoustonRockets.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 4, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Logan Riely, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Jalen Green #4 of the Houston Rockets celebrates during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 4, 2025 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. <em>Logan Riely, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 65 points as the Houston Rockets halted Oklahoma City&#x27;s 11-game winning streak on Friday with a statement 125-111 victory.</p><p>In a potential Western Conference finals preview, the Rockets produced a dominant all-round performance to jolt the top-seeded Thunder&#x27;s all-conquering preparations for the postseason.</p><p>Green finished with 34 points from 11-of-24 shooting while Turkish big man Sengun made 31 points as second-placed Houston improved to 51-27.</p><p>Oklahoma City grabbed the lead in the opening minutes of the first quarter, but Houston soon knocked the Thunder out of their stride with a physical approach to move into the lead before building a 23-point advantage late in the second quarter.</p><p>Houston maintained a 20-point cushion with 2min 53sec remaining in the third quarter before a Thunder rally cut the gap to single digits early in the fourth.</p><p>But Houston coolly regrouped and snuffed out any chance of a comeback from Oklahoma City.</p><p>Houston coach Ime Udoka praised the aggressive scoring approach of Sengun and team-mate Green.</p><p>&quot;He was in attack mode the whole time. Him and Jalen were a great combination tonight,&quot; Udoka said of Sengun. &quot;We&#x27;re hard to beat when those two are going like that.&quot;</p><p>Jalen Williams led the OKC scoring with 33 points while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 22. Chet Holmgren chipped in with 20 points, 18 of them coming from his tally of six three-pointers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Boston three-point barrage -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nVGiGoFhqdw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>The Boston Celtics claimed a piece of NBA history by setting a new record for the number of three-pointers scored in a single season.</p><p>The NBA champions eclipsed the Golden State Warriors&#x27; record of 1,363 threes set in the 2022-2023 season after adding 14 threes to their season tally in a 123-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns.</p><p>Boston&#x27;s three-point barrage left them with 1,370 for the season.</p><p>Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the three-point scoring record reflected his team&#x27;s work ethic and basketball IQ.</p><p>&quot;It says that we fight for a good shot,&quot; Mazzulla said.</p><p>&quot;We were able to fight for good looks, versus the coverage. That&#x27;s the most important thing, continuing to understand how we&#x27;re being defended and how we can create the best shot possible.&quot;</p><p>Jaylen Brown led Boston&#x27;s scoring with 31 points while Jayson Tatum finished with 23 in a win that dealt another blow to the Suns&#x27; hopes of forcing their way into the postseason reckoning.</p><p>The Suns&#x27; fifth straight defeat leaves them in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 35-42 record, two wins behind the 10th-placed Sacramento Kings (37-40), 125-102 winners over Charlotte on Friday.</p><p>The top six teams in each conference qualify automatically for the playoffs, while teams ranked seventh to 10th enter a four-team play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff places.</p><p>The fifth-placed Golden State Warriors inched closer to sealing their top six spot after another magical performance from Stephen Curry helped them to a 118-104 win over the fourth-placed Denver Nuggets, who slid to their third straight loss.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1MAXIgtrDDM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>Curry, who scored 37 points in Thursday&#x27;s win over the Los Angeles Lakers following a 52-point masterpiece against Memphis on Tuesday, finished with 36 points after rattling in seven three-pointers.</p><p>The Warriors improved to 46-31 after a fifth consecutive win and are fifth in the standings.</p><p>The Lakers are also on track for the playoffs after bouncing back from defeat to the Warriors with a 124-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.</p><p>The Lakers &quot;big three&quot; of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves all delivered, with Doncic scoring 35 points, Reaves 30 and James 27.</p><p>The victory leaves the Lakers in third place in the West with a 47-30 record.</p><p>In San Antonio, the Cleveland Cavaliers edged closer to locking up the No.1 seed from the Eastern Conference with a nail-biting 114-113 defeat of the Spurs.</p><p>The Detroit Pistons clinched their playoff ticket from the East with a 117-105 road win in Toronto.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 65 points as the Houston Rockets halted Oklahoma City's 11-game winning streak on Friday with a statement 125-111 victory.</p>

Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 65 points as the Houston Rockets halted Oklahoma City's 11-game winning streak on Friday with a statement 125-111 victory.

NBA: Green, Sengun lift Rockets over Thunder as Celtics clinch record

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NBA: Green, Sengun lift Rockets over Thunder as Celtics clinch record

Agence France-Presse

Published Apr 05, 2025 01:26 PM PHT

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