The Houston Rockets have managed their rebuild about as responsibly as possible. They've hoarded draft picks, and thus far done relatively well with them. They've pursued veteran free agents, but have always managed to do so with an eye on value.

Through the game’s first nine minutes, the Thunder scored only nine points. Through 12, the teams combined to shoot 13-for-47, including 4-for-22 on 3-pointers. They had nine turnovers, which weren’t debilitating to either squad because nobody was capable of turning even the mistakes into easy points.

In the NBA Cup semifinal, the Houston Rockets couldn’t outlast the Oklahoma City Thunder in a defensive-fueled matchup, falling 111-96. The game featured the to