Rockets vs. Thunder: Houston extends winning streak to 16 games

The Rockets vs. Thunder matchup Tuesday night was supposed to be an exciting game that gave us a look into a potential Western Conference playoff series. But if we learned anything from Houston’s 122-112 win against OKC — their 16th straight victory — it’s that very few teams, if any, have a legitimate shot at hanging with the Rockets in a seven-game series, let alone for 48 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony started off hot. He surpassed Jerry West in the first quarter for No. 20 on the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s list. But even with Melo’s first-quarter outburst, the Thunder couldn’t truly hang with the best team out West. Russell Westbrook finished with 28 points on 25 field goal attempts. Paul George finished with 20 points, but started the game 1-of-7 in the first half. The Thunder tried but it wasn’t enough.

All the while, Houston played smart defense. They switched everything defensively, much like the Warriors team they were tailor-made to beat. As a result, Thunder playmakers took contested jump shots instead of attacking the rim.

Houston also flexed its muscle as the deepest team in the league. Seven Rockets scored in double figures, led by Chris Paul’s 23 points on 50 percent shooting and James Harden’s 19 points and 11 assists (to 10 turnovers). Altogether, Houston shot 51.5 percent from three in Oklahoma City. It’s just about impossible to win a game when giving up that kind of shooting percentage from downtown.

The Rockets looked like a team poised to make its deepest playoff run since they lost to the Warriors in the conference finals in the 2014-15 season. And the Thunder? They look like a team that sorely misses Andre Roberson, a lockdown perimeter defender whose season-ending patellar injury sent the Thunder sliding from the fifth-best defense to middle-of-the-pack.

So yes, this may have been a playoff preview, and it might actually come to fruition. After losing to the Rockets, the Thunder are only a half-game in front of the Nuggets for the eighth seed in the West. If that seeding holds, we just might get a Houston-Oklahoma City first-round series after all.

This post was originally a live blog that was converted to a game recap. The live blog portion continues below:

10:23 p.m. — The Thunder are trying to mount a comeback. Somehow, someway, it seems like they have a chance, when odds are they probably really don’t.

10:04 p.m. — The lamb, spinach and brown rice concoction is starting to settle in my stomach. It was at this moment I realized that might not have been the best late-night dinner choice. As for this game, it’s tough watching OKC try to keep up with a Rockets team lightyears deeper, better and more complete than them. Houston’s up 16 now with no slowing down in sight.

9:47 p.m. — As I sit here crushing my Lamb Saag, I’m realizing that the Rockets are in a totally different class from the Thunder. They’re playing smart defensively by switching everything, forcing OKC into tough passes. And offensively, they’re the same team that’s gonna pelt their opponents from deep. This one might be over soon, y’all.

9:39 p.m. — SMH. Just like that, Harden finds Clint Capela for an alley-oop, then Chris Paul hits a cold-blooded three. Rockets back up 11.

9:36 p.m. — Thunder out here showing vital signs. Melo is hitting threes still, and they’ve cut the Rockets lead to five. No, they’re only down two after Huestis banks in a three.

9:18 p.m. — Incredible defense here by Melo

9:16 p.m. — Observation: Paul George has three whole points on 1-of-7 shooting.

9:10 p.m. — Melo is trying to keep the Thunder in it. He hit a contested layup then a contested three, but it doesn’t seem like his scoring alone will be enough.

9:06 p.m. — Rockets take their first double-digit lead of the game. Houston is switching on all of OKC’s pick-and-rolls, and the Thunder haven’t attacked them.

8:48 p.m. — Jerami Grant just faked out two Rockets to find Corey Brewer open for a wing three. Beautiful.

8:43 p.m. — Rockets 26, Thunder 24

8:39 p.m. — Josh Huestis gets a huge block on James Harden!

8:38 p.m. — Get back on defense, big fella!

8:35 p.m. — James Harden may or may not have broken Paul George’s ankles... OK, he didn’t, but PG’s hands were on the floor, and Harden definitely crossed over then hit a three shortly after.

8:30 p.m. -- Well that escalated quickly. Melo surpasses Jerry West for 20th place on the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s list. He has 25,195 points and counting. Anthony is hot tonight early with eight points on 50 percent shooting midway through the first quarter.

8:26 p.m. — Carmelo Anthony just hit a pull-up three in transition. Hoodie Melo in the flesh. He’s a few points away eclipsing Jerry “The Logo” West on the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s list.

8:18 p.m. — Paul George isn’t appreciating how he’s being officiated while defending James Harden.

Here is some pre-game action from Tuesday night’s Rockets vs. Thunder showdown. We will update this live blog with moments from the game:

The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder are set to go toe-to-toe in a potential Western Conference playoff preview in mere minutes, and we’ll be monitoring all the action here in our live blog.

Be sure to check back every few minutes or so for the newest updates in a star-studded matchup that is sure to have fireworks from start to finish.

Before the season started, the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder were a litmus test for basketball fans everywhere: which team did you prefer? Houston was an established Western Conference contender from last season who added another star to their roster, while the Thunder brought together a Big Three with even more star power, even if the rest of their roster wasn’t quite as highly regarded. Many smart basketball minds were split over which team would emerge from the pack that included San Antonio, or whether they would all duke it out for the No. 2 seed behind the hegemonic Golden State Warriors.

Clearly, Houston was the team that emerged, and currently sit atop the Western Conference with a half-game lead over the Warriors. Their James Harden-Chris Paul pairing has solidified them as a true threat to Golden State, and the rest of their roster accentuates the star pairing perfectly.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City has shown flashes ... and also disappointed. They’re currently 37-28, but just 1.5 games ahead of the first Western Conference team out of the playoffs. While Russell Westbrook and Paul George have mostly been their usual incredible selves, Carmelo Anthony is having the least efficient scoring season of his career while scoring a career low, too. Losing Andre Roberson for the season has been a blow to the team’s defense, previously something that had emerged as an identity.

Still, the Thunder are absolutely still in position to make the playoffs, and there’s an old saying that you should never bet against a team that has the best player on the court, something that could be true depending on the first round series. Another possibility: the Thunder will actually face the Rockets, which should provide plenty of juicy storylines in a repeat of last season’s first round. Oklahoma City could also push back into a higher spot in the West standings and grab home court advantage, setting up a potential second round clash. There are many possibilities here.

That’s why you should watch the two teams square off Tuesday night.

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Channel: TNT

Streaming: Watch TNT, Sling TV, other streaming services