Rockets vs. Thunder scores and live updates: NBA Cup semifinal game highlights, analysis and more

LAS VEGAS – Sorry folks, for Houston it’s plain and simple. If they don’t find a way to slow Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it’s going to be a long night.

In two meetings this season against the Rockets, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 and 29 points. It would be one thing if the All-NBA guard scored his points at the expense of overall efficiency, but Gilgeous-Alexander shot a stunning 21 of 35 from the field against Houston’s second-ranked defense.

“He is one of the best scorers in the league,” head coach Ime Udoka said on Friday. “A lot of teams sit back and try to get him to beat you with jump shots – especially 3s – and then he gets steamed up, gets on the front foot and you’re in retreat mode.”

It will depend on how well Dillon Brooks balances the line between aggression and tact. In the last meeting earlier this month, Brooks only played 29 minutes due to foul trouble. Udoka treats these cup games like playoff games. So expect Brooks to mirror Gilgeous-Alexander’s substitution patterns.

As for any defensive adjustments, Houston might be better served by being even closer on screens and rotating back aggressively. It’s a tough approach that requires players to cover a lot of ground, but the Rockets can’t just let Gilgeous-Alexander play countless times for 48 minutes. The wing trio of Brooks, Tari Eason and Amen Thompson must be on the same page regardless of who is in front of Gilgeous-Alexander.

“We want to take it a little higher, be more physical and show it to an audience,” Udoka said. “Give him some indecision. We don’t want to leave him on an island all the time. It’s a big challenge because of his pace, his patience and because he does the right reading.”