Kevin Martin had a team-high 23 points and Shane Battier added 18 and six rebounds as the Houston Rockets edged the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder, 99-98, on Sunday.

Kyle Lowry chipped in 14 points and eight assists and Luis Scola had 13 points for the Rockets, who had dropped five of six.

Houston took control in the first quarter, turning a 12-9 deficit into a 26-18 lead in a span of four minutes. Martin scored eight points during the spurt and Scola had 11 in the frame as the Rockets grabbed a 33-25 lead after the first 12 minutes.

The Thunder made a brief charge in the third quarter, pulling ahead at 69-67 on Russell Westbrook’s layup, but the Rockets ended the period with a 10-2 burst to take a 77-71 lead into the fourth. Battier drained a pair of 3-pointers during the run and had four in the game.

Westbrook finished with 23 points and 10 assists for Oklahoma City, which scored five straight points in the final minute but could not get a last shot to fall.