Rockets go up 2-0 on Thunder thanks to team effort

It isn't often that the Rockets are able to prevail with not one, but both of their star players ineffective in a game. With Russell Westbrook sidelined due to injury, and James Harden struggling to score, it normally would have spelt doom for a team that is heavily reliant on the two aforementioned MVPs.

However, the Houston Rockets, as they had done all year, defied expectations yet again in the second game of their best-of-seven series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, due in large part to an all-around great performance from every Rocket that stepped onto the floor.

"It's not pride, it's just team energy," said Danuel House Jr., who was among the many contributors to Houston's victory in the late afternoon, pouring in 19 points, second most on the team. He was one of the seven Rockets that dropped double-digit point totals in the game.

"We didn't shoot the ball particularly well tonight. But I think defensively, especially in that second half, we did an unbelievable job just gearing in what they like to do and correcting our mishaps in that first half."

That much was true -- OKC only scored a total of 39 points in the second half, compared to Houston's 58. It was a far cry from a sloppy second quarter that saw the Rockets score only 18 points, and featured Harden entering the halftime break on 2-10 shooting with a mere eight points. They went 21% from the field, and were 2-19 from three point land during the quarter.

It was the bench and role players that kept Houston in the game early. Robert Covington had and Ben McLemore each had six points in the first quarter. Eric Gordon finished the half with eight points. Austin Rivers led the way for Houston with eleven points at the half. Houston trailed 59-53 heading into the break.

Fortune would turn for the Rockets in the third quarter. An 8-2 run would tie the game early in the second half, and the shots would start to fall for Houston. The defense would also start to clamp on the Thunder shooters, holding them to a mere 20 points in the quarter. Houston trailed by only one heading into the final quarter.

Then, the Rockets took over. A Jeff Green three would knot the score at 80 after a Chris Paul jumper. Danuel House Jr. would then score five quick points to put Houston up five. An Eric Gordon layup and another Jeff Green three would push the Rockets lead to ten, and free throws from James Harden and House would balloon the lead to 94-80 with just under seven minutes remaining.

Naturally, it was James Harden who finished off the game with his patented step-back three, effectively sealing the win for Houston.

Houston defeated the Thunder 111-98 and took a 2-0 lead over the Thunder, joining the Heat, Celtics and Raptors as the only teams yet to lose a playoff game through two contests. Harden finished the game with 21 points and nine assists. Eric Gordon and Jeff Green each had 15 points. It was the fifteenth time all season that OKC had been held under 100 points.

The Rockets will look to grab a commanding 3-0 lead on Saturday, and perhaps hope to get Russell Westbrook back as well.