3 Studs, 2 duds from Rockets' thrilling win over Thunder

After the last few years, the Houston Rockets will take any win they get.

Still, not all wins are created equal, especially in the preseason. When reserves who may not see regular NBA minutes dictate game outcomes, they mean less.

Still, last night was fun, wasn't it?

The Rockets seemed down and out. The Thunder's starters were outclassing the Rockets group. Perhaps they didn't count on Jack McVeigh.

His shot to send the game into overtime galvanized Houston, and the rest is history. Houston walked away with a 122-113 victory.

Here are three studs and two duds from the contest.

Stud: Jack McVeigh

Obviously.

Look - McVeigh didn't dominate the box score. He finished with 7 points on 3/4 shooting from the field and 4 rebounds. Still, that's a pretty impressive statline given that McVeigh was on the floor for a mere 8 minutes.

During that time, he demonstrated the traits that the Rockets needed from him. McVeigh has ice in his veins. That was his reputation coming into the league. He also plays as hard as anyone could ask - that should endear him to Ime Udoka.

Tall shooters are always at a premium. McVeigh has a chance to make it with the regular season roster, and he showed exactly that in last night's action.

Dud: Amen Thompson

This pains us.

In some respects, Thompson looked closer to a point guard last night than he has in the past. His handle is tighter, and his willingness to penetrate to the rim has increased as a result.

Yet...he still looks far from running point at the NBA level. Thompson finished this game with 8 points on 4/12 shooting. That's objectively a dud of a performance.

His ability to drive and kick is impressive. If he can't finish the drives, it won't amount to much. It's too early in Thompson's career to make definitive declarations about his future. Moreover, he should be an invaluable defensive wing moving forward even if he's not much of a halfcourt scorer.

Thompson made several good plays last night, but he was anemic offensively. That's what's earning him the dreaded dud designation.

Stud: Reed Sheppard

Did somebody say point guard?

It's interesting. Sheppard has invited Steph Curry comparisons, but he's not validating them. If anything, he's surprisingly hesitant to let the three fly.

Last night, he only took one - and he made it. Granted, Sheppard wasn't missing much last night. He finished with 11 points on 5/7 shooting from the field.

Sheppard isn't afraid to go to the mid-range. His shot selection is pristine. Perhaps he'll need to get a little more reckless in time, but we like the pace that he plays with. for the time being.

Dud: Jalen Green

If Sheppard needs to be more carefree from beyond the arch, Green may want to be more selective. Last night, he was 3/9 from downtown.

Those were the only field goals he made. Green finished with 12 points on 3/12 shooting. His performance, unfortunately, was as bad as it sounds.

Is it possible that Green is better alongside Steven Adams? In the preseason opener against the Jazz, he was taking advantage of the space Adams created with his screening. In this one, it felt like he was repeatedly chucking shots into oblivion.

It was difficult to watch. It was concerning. Sure, this is one preseason game against perhaps the best defensive roster in the NBA.. Still, for those of us praying for a fourth-year breakout, it was not a good sign.

Stud: Alperen Sengun

Meanwhile, Sengun simply got back to business. He had 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in this contest.

Let it be said that he didn't play a perfect game. Sengun was still getting targetted defensively on the pick-and-roll. He struggled to do anything to help the Rockets contain the Thunder's dribble penetration.

Still, he was a port in a storm on the offensive end. Sengun was as reliable as ever. He used his deft touch and advanced craftiness to score inside at will. That's enough to label him a stud in this contest:

No matter how much (or little) it counted for.