OKC Thunder lose a heartbreaking Game 7 to the Houston Rockets

In what turned into an instant classic, the Rockets outlasted the OKC Thunder in a thrilling Game 7. Player Grades tell the tale of an intense battle.

The intensity was palpable as the game tipped off for this massive matchup. But much unlike the other Game 7 we saw just last night, this one had all the offense you would ever want. From the get-go, the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets traded buckets and triples, as the wild and fun first period went by in a blur with the Thunder holding a narrow 30-29 lead.

Lu Dort, who had been abysmal from 3-point range all series, finally started to hit his shots. The OKC Thunder cult hero scored a ridiculous 18 points in the first half, which honestly kept the Thunder afloat.

Houston, not to be outdone, matched each Thunder blow with their own as this game was a wire to wire all the way to the halftime buzzer. Once the first half dust had cleared, the Rockets had gained a two-point lead going into the halfway point of Game 7.

The second half was an all-out war. These teams that have done battle for six games gave basketball fans everywhere one last great game. The third quarter was an interesting one for OKC as their offense bogged down and Russell Westbrook announced himself as a threat once again with his bounce-back play.

Russ was a terror against his former team in the second half as he rose to the occasion, while his sidekick James Harden nearly choked away another huge game with another poor closing game performance.

This Thunder team, like they have all year, just wouldn’t go away though. They fought and clawed their way through the tough slog of the third quarter to be only down by five going into the final quarter of this marathon of a series.

Fourth-quarter basketball of a Game 7 is unlike anything in sports. Each possession carries so much weight and every play could decide the outcome. Thunder fans and Rocket fans alike were most likely having emotional breakdowns as this game went back and forth throughout this frantic final frame.

Robert Covington was nails for the Rockets with big threes but the legend of Dort grew even larger as he surpassed 30 points in his career for the first time.

However, all good things must come to an end. With the game in the balance and trailing by one, James Harden blocked the would-be game-winner from Lu Dort and the magical OKC Thunder season came crashing back down to reality. Houston held on to win an instant classic 104-102 to close out Oklahoma City.

This team has been the most fun to watch since the Thunder-U days when Russ, KD, and Harden were bright-eyed youngsters tearing up the league. I want to thank Chris Paul for being a pro’s pro and leading this young and lovable Thunder team all the way through this heartbreaking finish. Let’s not hang our heads, this season was a massive success. To get this far and have this much fun when the whole world thought you were toast, is still rather satisfying.

We don’t know what the future holds for CP3 and this iteration of the OKC Thunder, so let’s hold onto the fun memories of this season a little longer. It was one hell of a ride.

With that let’s dive into the grades.