Thunder Strike Again: OKC Smothers Rockets to Extend Win Streak to Five

HOUSTON — The Oklahoma City Thunder’s “Death Star” is fully operational.

In a display of defensive dominance that has become their calling card, the Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7) dismantled the Houston Rockets 111-91 on Thursday night. The victory marks OKC’s fifth consecutive win and further solidifies their stranglehold on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. While the league has been waiting for the young Thunder to show signs of fatigue, they instead delivered a performance that suggests the gap between them and the rest of the West is only widening.

The “Chet Effect”

While the MVP chatter continues to surround Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it was Chet Holmgren who dictated the terms of engagement at the Toyota Center. Holmgren was a nightmare for Houston’s interior offense, finishing with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 emphatic blocks.

The Thunder’s length frustrated Houston’s stars all night. Even Kevin Durant, who led the Rockets with 19 points, was forced into a grueling 7-of-23 shooting performance as the Thunder threw a rotating cast of defenders—led by Luguentz Dort—at the future Hall of Famer.

“We take pride in making every catch difficult,” Holmgren said. “It’s not just about the blocks; it’s about the contested jumpers and the second efforts. We want teams to feel our presence for all 48 minutes.”