HOUSTON – Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 38 points and Dillon Brooks scored a late go-ahead goal to give the Houston Rockets a 119-116 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night.

The game was tied at 113 when Brooks hit the short jumper in the lane just before the shot clock expired, putting the Rockets on top with 33.1 seconds left.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a shot at the other end and Brooks grabbed the rebound. VanVleet was fouled and made both free throws to make the score 117-113 with 4.6 seconds left.

Jalen Williams got the Thunder within 1 with a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left, but VanVleet made two more free throws to secure the win.

It’s the Rockets’ third straight win and their fifth in the last six games, coming after Oklahoma City earned a 126-107 win in their first meeting on Nov. 8.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points in his fourth straight 30-point game for the Thunder, whose four-game winning streak was snapped.

Takeaways

Thunder: Isaiah Hartenstein is off to a strong start in his return after missing the first 15 games of the season with a broken hand. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds Sunday and has had at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in each of his five games this season.

Rockets: Four of Houston’s starters finished in double figures, with Alperen Sengun 20, Brooks 16 and Jabari Smith Jr. 15 points.

Key moment

Brooks’ shot gave the Rockets a 115-113 lead. It came after a jump ball he won against Gilgeous-Alexander.

Key statistics

These teams combined for 64 free throws, with Houston making 30 of 39 and Oklahoma City making 19 of 25.

Next

The Rockets begin a three-game trip in Sacramento on Tuesday night, and the Thunder host the Jazz that evening.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba