GREEN DOES IT AGAIN
Rockets storm back from 25 down to stun 76ers in overtime thriller
Mar 18, 2025, 10:56 am
The Rockets beat the 76ers, 144-137. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. had 30 points apiece and the Houston Rockets rallied for a 144-137 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, extending their season-best winning streak to seven games.
The Rockets trailed by as many as 25 points and never led in regulation before their late rally.
Houston was up by six points after opening overtime with a 9-3 run. Quentin Grimes made a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 140-137 with less than 2½ minutes left in OT.
But Alperen Sengun made two free throws with just over a minute left before Aaron Holiday added two more with 12.1 seconds remaining, making it 144-137 and securing the win.
The Rockets trailed by eight with less than a minute to go in the fourth before using a 10-2 run to tie it at 131, forcing overtime.
Smith made one free throw before missing the second, and Sengun grabbed the rebound and made the put-back to tie it with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth. Philadelphia had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jalen Hood-Schifino’s jumper missed.
Grimes had career highs of 46 points and 13 rebounds with a career-best eight 3-pointers for the Sixers. His performance helped Philadelphia tie a franchise record with 24 3s.
Takeaways
76ers: These young players, who are filling in for a roster decimated by injuries, continue to play hard, and Grimes has been almost unstoppable lately. The former University of Houston star has scored at least 40 points twice this month and over 30 four times.
Rockets: Houston needs to play more consistently after falling into a huge hole early.
Key moment
Sengun’s putback with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth that sent it to overtime.
Key stat
The teams combined for 46 3-pointers, with Houston making a season-high 22.
Up next
Houston visits Orlando on Wednesday, and Philadelphia visits Oklahoma City that night.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.