Christian Wood continues career run as Rockets extend winning streak to three

On Saturday, star big man Christian Wood scored a career-high 33 points as the young Rockets secured their first winning streak of the 2021-22 season. Two nights later, he set a new career-high in rebounds with 21 as Houston extended its winning streak to three games with a 102-89 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder (box score).

Monday’s win wraps up a perfect three-hame homestand at Toyota Center, where the vibe is suddenly quite different than it was when the Rockets entered it less than a week ago on a 15-game losing streak.

The Rockets had a balanced effort on offense, with six players scoring in double-figures: Wood (24 points), Garrison Mathews (19), Jae’Sean Tate (15), Eric Gordon (11), Danuel House Jr. (12), and Kevin Porter Jr. (11). With 11 assists and 10 rebounds, Porter also registered the first triple-double of his NBA career. Oklahoma City was led in defeat by rising star Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who had 20 points and 4 assists.

In a rare home-and-home, the Rockets and Thunder have an immediate rematch on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Until then, scroll on for a look at highlights and player grades from Monday’s game in Houston.

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Christian Wood: A+

Stats: 24 points, 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%), 3-of-6 on 3-pointers (50.0%), 21 rebounds, 3 blocks; plus/minus of +24 in 31 minutes

The Thunder shot terribly from the perimeter in Monday’s game, making just 7-of-40 (17.5%) from 3-point range. That made for plenty of available rebounds, and Wood used his long frame to take full advantage.

Since switching to a smaller lineup, Wood has set new career-highs in assists, points, and rebounds in each game, respectively. Houston is 3-0 in those games. The Rockets appear to be suddenly revived, and their best returning player turning into the version that drew All-Star consideration (as a center) last season is clearly the biggest reason why.

Jae'Sean Tate: A

Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Stats: 15 points, 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%), 0-of-2 on 3-pointers, 8 assists, 6 rebounds; plus/minus of +24 in 28 minutes

Tate always brings hard-nosed defense and leadership to the table, but on Monday, he was also excellent at attacking the rim on offense — both in his own personal shooting percentage, as well as the season-high 8 assists that he dished out to his Houston teammates.

Garrison Mathews: A

Stats: 19 points, 7-of-14 shooting (50%), 5-of-11 on 3-pointers (45.5%), 2 rebounds; plus/minus of +19 in 32 minutes

Mathews stepped into Houston’s starting lineup for a second consecutive game and has quickly become a fan favorite at Toyota Center, where he’s beloved for taking charges and swishing 3-pointers. General manager Rafael Stone deserves an enormous amount of credit for picking Mathews up off waivers prior to the season, and the 6-foot-6 sharpshooter continues to blow past most of our initial expectations.

Eric Gordon: C+

AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith

Stats: 11 points, 4-of-10 shooting, 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%), 2 assists, 3 turnovers; plus/minus of +5 in 29 minutes

On Saturday, Gordon praised Houston’s newfound ball movement postgame, and he was a big reason why — with a season-high 7 assists in 37 minutes. Two nights later, Gordon hit a pair of important triples, but he regressed as a playmaker and became a bit turnover prone on drives.

Kevin Porter Jr.: B

Stats: 11 points, 4-of-17 shooting (23.5%), 1-of-8 on 3-pointers (12.5%), 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 3 steals; plus/minus of +21 in 33 minutes

It was an odd game for Porter, who struggled mightily to finish on drives and with his 3-point shot. Yet, he registered the first triple-double of his young NBA career and continues to develop as a defender. This type of growth is precisely why the rebuilding Rockets aren’t keen on turning over the keys at point guard to veteran John Wall.

Bench: B (Danuel House Jr., Alperen Sengun's dunk)

Danuel House Jr.: 12 points, 5-of-9 shooting (55.5%), 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%), 8 rebounds, plus/minus of -9 in 23 minutes

Excluding garbage time, the other three reserves utilized by head coach Stephen Silas (Armoni Brooks, KJ Martin, and Alperen Sengun) combined to shoot just 3-of-16 from the field (18.8%) and 1-of-10 on 3-pointers (10%). Yet, House was a force on both ends of the floor, and his plus/minus number is misleading due to the groupings he was used with. House was accurate from 3-point range, disruptive as a perimeter defender, and used his 6-foot-6 frame to help the undersized Rockets collect many of the available rebounds due to OKC’s awful shooting.

Even though it wasn’t a particularly effective game for Sengun, he did have arguably the best dunk of Houston’s season to date. Enjoy it.

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