Thunder survive late scare, bring series to 2-1
By Rich Condon
The OKC Thunder survived a late scare in Game Three, holding on to a 115-113 victory. Houston currently holds a 2-1 lead over the Thunder.
The Thunder got off to a hot start once again. For the third consecutive game in the series, they led the Houston Rockets at the end of the first quarter. Oklahoma City led by as many as 15 in the first half, but by halftime the Rockets cut the lead to seven.
OKC shot over 60 percent from the field but only 50 percent from the line in the first half. Taj Gibson was a force early, scoring 12 first half points. In addition, Russell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double in the first half with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Victor Oladipo had seemingly snapped out of his playoff funk, scoring 10 first half points on 4-5 from the field.
Conversely, James Harden had 20 points and five assists at the half and Lou Williams continued to be a thorn in the Thunder’s side with 16 points in 14 first half minutes. Oklahoma City, however, capitalized on nine first half turnovers from the Rockets, scoring fourteen points off them. In addition the Thunder bullied the Rockets down low early, scoring 32 points in the paint in the first half.
The second half was a bit of a see-saw affair, with the Rockets briefly taking the lead early in the third quarter. They quickly relinquished the lead back to the Thunder, who led by at least ten points at some points in the second half. The Rockets were within one possession within the last minute of play, and some surprising misses from the free throw line from Russ kept things uncomfortably close.
Ultimately, however, down two on the last possession, James Harden went for a three and the win:
The Thunder won’t be swept this postseason.
What Went Well
The OKC Thunder shot 55.4 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from beyond the three point line. Andre Roberson, Oladipo, Doug McDermott and Alex Abrines all hit two three pointers apiece. Russ put up his second straight triple-double, finishing the night with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Gibson exploded for 20 points, and both Roberson and Oladipo put up 12 points.
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Steven Adams was the only starter not to score in double-digits. However, his putback late was one of the most crucial buckets of the night. Enes Kanter led the bench mob with 10 points in 10 minutes.
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OKC’s defense was effective all night long. The Thunder held the Rockets to only 45.8 percent shooting from the floor and 28.6 percent from deep. OKC assisted on 24 out of 46 made baskets. They were also able to capitalize on Houston mistakes, scoring 25 points off 16 Rocket turnovers. Russ fouled Harden to send him to the line when Houston was down three; it was a smart play that went a long way to the Thunder winning the game.
What Went Wrong
OKC almost blew another 15-point lead. This has been a problem for the Thunder all season. They’ve relinquished large leads rather often throughout the course of the season. Other than that, the Thunder played a great game. One could make a case that the Thunder should be able to rebound more, especially on the offensive glass, considering they led the NBA in rebounding during the regular season.
What’s Next
OKC will look to capitalize on their Game 3 victory and tie the series at 2 games. Game 4 takes place Sunday afternoon at the Peake. If the Thunder can execute a similar gameplan as they did tonight, there’s a more than a good chance that this series will head back to Houston tied.