Record-breaking night sees Rockets crush Thunder for sixth straight win

Photo courtesy of Alonzo Adams/USA TODAY Sports

Where to start?

In the two teams' first meeting since the first round of last year's playoffs, the Houston Rockets got off to a fiery start and ended with a dominant 136-106 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, on a Monday night that saw a plethora of records either tied or broken by the outstanding collective performance from the team.

Like all great outings, it began in the first quarter, a stretch the Rockets usually have trouble with. This time, however, it was vastly different--Houston scored 48 points in the opening period, doubling OKC's first quarter point total. Houston simply refused to miss from the floor.

It marked the second straight game that the Rockets scored 48 points in a quarter, a baffling feat. Equally baffling were the records that were reached as a result. Houston tied an N.B.A. record with 11 made threes, missing only two during the entirety of the twelve allotted minutes.

The most ridiculous shot? This insane step-back and-one three that Danuel House Jr. nailed falling away.

From there, the Rockets took a commanding lead and never looked back. The records wouldn't stop being broken, either. Eric Gordon would move past Mike Miller for 29th on the all-time made threes list in N.B.A. history midway through the second.

To cap it all off, with the game thoroughly in hand, the Rockets began aiming for the single-game franchise record of 27 made threes, and not only matched it, but broke it. It was Ben McLemore who tied it, and DeMarcus Cousins who broke the record.

All in all, it was a magnificent performance for the scorching-hot Houston Rockets, who now have the league's second longest winning streak. Seven Rockets scored in double figures, including all of W-O-W (18 for Wall and Wood each, 15 for Oladipo), with Eric Gordon leading the way with his 25.

The Rockets are now 10-9, over .500 for the first time, and will aim for seven wins in a row on Wednesday, and a potential record of 8-3 since trading James Harden. They'll try to duplicate tonight's success against the same Thunder team, with the added benefit of the starters getting a bit of rest with the blowout (not a single Rocket played more than 28 minutes).

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM CT.