Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) reacts while being fouled by Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) while Rockets guard Aaron Holiday, right, defends during the first half of a semifinal game in the NBA Cup basketball tournament Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in Las Vegas.

The Oklahoma City Thunder collected a much-needed 111-96 win over the Houston Rockets in the 2024 NBA Cup semifinals. They will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the finals. The early moments of this contest resembled what a duel between the league's best two defenses should look like.

In a matchup between the NBA's two best defenses, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Houston Rockets, 111-96. The Rockets shot 35-for-96 (36.5%) from the field