Cason Wallace and Alperen Sengun (Image Credit: Youtube/Chaz NBA)

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets went head-to-head in a nail-biting NBA Cup semifinal, and it was clear from the start that both teams were locked in defensively. The first half was a total grind. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder’s star, couldn’t buy a bucket early on, missing eight of his first nine shots. Houston wasn’t doing much better, though. The defensive pressure was strong on both sides, and by halftime, Houston was holding a narrow 42-41 lead. It was one of those games where scoring felt like pulling teeth.

But after halftime, things started clicking for OKC. Gilgeous-Alexander, who had struggled before the break, caught fire, finishing with 32 points overall and 12 of those coming in a red-hot third quarter. The Thunder outscored the Rockets 34-22 in that period, with Lu Dort chipping in 11 points, including three big three-pointers. Isaiah Hartenstein also made a statement with a career-high 21 points, helping the Thunder pull away for a 111-96 win.

That wasn’t the only drama, though. With just 40 seconds left and the game pretty much decided, a little scuffle broke out between Cason Wallace and Alperen Sengun. Sengun fiercely pushed Wallace, and Wallace, not backing down, shoved him back. Both guys got hit with technical fouls, but Wallace wasn’t letting it slide. “We’re not gonna get punked or shot down by anybody,” he said afterward.

Cason Wallace got plenty of support from his teammate, Isaiah Hartenstein, who loved Wallace’s fire against Alperen Sengun. “I loved it, I loved it. My son getting into it,” Hartenstein said with a grin. He even joked that he’d cover any fine Cason Wallace might face for the scuffle. Despite the late-game drama, the Thunder’s strong second half was more than enough to punch their ticket to the NBA Cup final against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Shai And Thunder’s Dominant Second Half Sends Rockets Packing

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 32 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five steals, and a block. He didn’t start great, but his second-half performance completely flipped the game. Lu Dort scored 19 points, making all four of his threes in the second half. Jalen Williams added 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. And Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-best 21 points, plus eight boards and two assists.

The Rockets couldn’t get anything going offensively. They shot just 36.5% from the field (35-for-96) and an ugly 23.9% from deep (11-for-46). Amen Thompson led with 19 points and seven rebounds, but Fred VanVleet (just 8 points on 3-for-15 shooting), Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun all had rough outings. The Rockets couldn’t keep up with the Thunder’s defense or their offense in the second half.

Speaking of defense, the Thunder were everywhere. They forced 16 turnovers and made it tough for the Rockets to score. It’s been a huge part of OKC’s success this season, and they’re now 11-0 when holding teams to under 41% shooting. They also made the most of free throws, hitting 28 of 32 (87.5%), while Houston only made 15 of 25 (60%).

With the win, the Thunder are heading to the NBA Cup final, riding a five-game win streak. With Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge and solid contributions from their supporting cast, OKC looks dangerous as they gear up for a showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks for the title.