{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Basketball Association
Portland 137, Houston 131
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Officials: #26 Pat Fraher, #3 Nick Buchert, #38 Michael Smith
Attendance: 18055

Anfernee Simons scored 33 points, Jerami Grant ended regulation with a game-tying 3-pointer and the visiting Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Houston Rockets 137-131 in overtime on Wednesday.

Grant had 21 points and nine assists, and it was his bank shot at the buzzer that forced the extra period. The Trail Blazers methodically pulled away in overtime, with Deandre Ayton (18 points, 17 rebounds) converting a critical second-chance basket with 10.2 seconds left.

Simons shot 13 of 20 and added six rebounds and five assists. Malcolm Brogdon totaled 19 points and six assists for Portland, and it was his inbounds pass that set up Grant for the game-tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

Alperen Sengun posted 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets, while Jalen Green scored 29 points. However, Houston went cold from the perimeter late, shooting 1-for-10 on 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime combined.

A riveting back-and-forth battle that started in the third quarter continued throughout the fourth. The Trail Blazers grabbed a 116-114 lead when Ayton scored in the paint with 2:35 left, but the Rockets responded with an 8-2 spurt keyed by consecutive turnovers from Simons.

Sengun capitalized on Simons' second turnover, scoring on a dunk. He followed that with a nifty finger roll from the block, giving Houston a 122-118 lead with 53.1 seconds left. Brogdon then sank a corner trey before the Rockets' Aaron Holiday made two free throws with 1.6 seconds left. Grant forced the extra period with his buzzer-beating 3-pointer, knotting the score at 124-124.

Simons was the linchpin in the Trail Blazers' 41-point third quarter with 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting. His three-point play at the 3:24 mark gave Portland an 88-86 lead, reclaiming the edge the Trail Blazers secured when Matisse Thybulle nailed a trey for a 74-72 lead minutes earlier. Thybulle and Grant combined to score 18 points in the frame, which featured 11 lead changes and three ties.

Brogdon caught fire with three baskets down the stretch of the first half. The Trail Blazers, who trailed by as many as 13 points, clawed within 63-57 entering the break behind Simons (13 points) and Ayton (10 points, nine boards). Green (19 points) and Sengun (10 points) steadied the Rockets.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Portland   Houston
Anfernee Simons 33 Scoring Alperen Sengun 30
Jerami Grant 9 Assists Alperen Sengun 8
Deandre Ayton 17 Rebounds Alperen Sengun 10
Jerami Grant 9 Free Throws Made Alperen Sengun 7
Matisse Thybulle 3 Steals Fred VanVleet 3
Deandre Ayton 2 Blocks Fred VanVleet 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Portland 137 51.0 15-35 22-24 31 48 4 6 12
Houston 131 53.2 12-36 19-22 29 37 6 8 8
Upcoming Games
  • Houston will play their next game on the road against Charlotte. The Rockets have a W/L % of .571 after a win and .364 after a loss.
  • Portland will play their next game on the road against San Antonio. The Trail Blazers have a W/L % of .333 after a win and .281 after a loss.