Josh Giddey matches career best in overtime loss, Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets, news, scores, results

Josh Giddey has equalled his career-best NBA points tally with 31 against the Houston Rockets in a nailbiting overtime defeat.

Just a day after notching a season-best 25 points against the New Orleans Pelicans, Giddey topscored for the Thunder with his 31 on 12-of-20 shooting, to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

That included a clutch inbound for Jalen Williams to level the score at 112-112 with just 4.7s seconds remaining in regulation time.

Watch an average of 9 NBA Regular Season games per week LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

Jalen Green was inches away from a game-winner for the Rockets on the buzzer as his lay-up just bounced off the rim.

But the Rockets surged clear in overtime, outscoring the Thunder 20-14 to win 132-126 and claim a tenth consecutive victory.

They were led by Jalen Green’s 37 points, while Amen Thompson had 25 points with 15 rebounds.

Giddey was also involved in two wild moments during the game, the first being a bench-clearing incident when Dillon Brooks pushed away the Aussie after Giddey attempted to forcibly help Houston’s Jabari Smith up off the floor.

The second came with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Giddey tumbled to the floor near the free throw line, but somehow managed to regain the ball and shoot while sitting down – beating the shot clock to hand Oklahoma the lead.

His teammates – and the entire crowd – were left in disbelief at the circus shot.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing for two games in a row, Giddey has clearly stepped up as an offensive force, taking far more shots – and responsibility – as the playoffs near.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised the confident, aggressive Giddey, saying: “He’s strung together a good amount of games where he’s done that. He’s getting his driving into the game, he’s gettting his passing into the game. When he pitches ahead in transition it really ignites us, it really gets us going offensively. That’s the best thing he does for us.

“He played another good offensive game tonight, playing with a lot of confidence and aggression, that’s how we need him to play.”

Giddey said he was: “Just kinda taking what they were giving me. We were seeing a bunch of different looks, teams are throwing their best defensive line-ups at us … we as a team are adjusting to different looks.

“Tonight I was just trying to get downhill, make the play – whether that was shoot the ball, hit a shooter, hit a cutter, just try and make the right play.”

MORE NEWS

Steph fumes as Draymond ejected in FOUR minutes … then kicks over chair after icing game

NBA villain Draymond Green ‘declares war on Australia’ in ugly Patty Mills act

He added that he was bringing a new confidence to his shooting: “When I started to get cross-matched – first off, that’s a credit to the team we have – … I think earlier I was hesitant, I was wide open like ‘do I want to shoot it every time?’ Now I’m starting to get into a bit of a rhythm, shoot the good ones.”

“Not thinking about it, not hesitating, shooting with confidence, not letting the last shot impact the next one,” he said.

Giddey has battled some shooting woes this season, but was buoyed by constant support for his teammates and their belief he could turn it around.

“That’s huge for a player’s confidence,” Giddey said. “When you’re missing shots and things aren’t going well, to have great people around you is the best thing for you.

“It’s easy to get caught up in your own head, think about your own game. But when you zoom out, look at the bigger picture, we’re a winning team, I’m in a really really good place.

I’ve got great people around me.

“That’s just a blip on the radar. You’re going to have ebbs and flows as a young player in your career… It’s just how well you can manage those highs and lows and stick through the tough times, and there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.”