OKC's hack-a-Turk strategy backfires

Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks needed to get his team back in the Game on Wednesday, so in the fourth quarter he had his players intentionally foul Omer Asik since the Rockets' center shoots only 52.

Harden Powers Past Illness, Lifts Rockets 107-100

Durant Blows By Rockets

Kevin Durant drives by four Rockets and finishes with the ferocious throw down.

Rockets' small lineups clean up the boards

The Rockets scored 27 second-chance points on 18 offensive rebounds despite playing lineups with one big (Omer Asik or Greg Smith) for all 48 minutes Wednesday. The Rockets' starting lineup of Asik, Patrick Beverley, James Harden, Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons had not played a minute of time together all season prior to Game 2.

Shelburne: Thunder's growth shows in repelling Rockets

The Rockets went small in Game 2 and nearly had a big payoff. But OKC finds a way to win, writes Ramona Shelburne.

Thorpe: Which veteran should Valanciunas study?

Homework time for the rooks. Which veteran should Jonas Valanciunas study?

Asik, Malone, Thorpe And Olajuwon

From Elias: Omer Asik scored 22 points, hauled in 18 rebounds and made 11 of 13 shots in the Rockets win over the Magic. Asik is the fourth player in Rockets franchise history to score at least 20 points, grab 18 or more rebounds and make at least 80 percent of his shots from the field in one game. Moses Malone did it in March 1977 and again in February 1978; Otis Thorpe, in February 1994; and Hakeem Olajuwon, in February 1998.

Mike and Mike in the Morning

ESPN NBA analyst Bruce Bowen dishes on Dwight Howard's struggles at the free-throw line, how to beat the Heat, the top teams in the West, Chris Paul and more.

Rockets Shoot For The Stars

From Elias: The Rockets tied an NBA record with 23 three-point field goals in their win over the Warriors on Tuesday. Orlando established that mark against Sacramento in 2009. Houston's 140 points on Tuesday was its most in a regulation-length game in nearly 20 years, since a 149-111 win over Philadelphia on Feb. 16, 1993. The Rockets have won their last nine home games against the Warriors (since January 2008). It's the longest home winning streak for either team in the history of this rivalry. Omer Asik recorded 15 rebounds in Houston's win, giving him at least 15 rebounds in each of his last five games. Only four other Rockets players¿all household names¿have had five straight games of 15-plus rebounds: Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley.