Westbrook’s one-man show lacks a big finish
The same superhuman who insisted he can do anything whenever he wants did just that a day later.
Against five Rockets and a rotating cast of often-helpless defenders. Before a sleepy-at-the-start Toyota Center. The game after the Rockets won by a convincing 31 points.
Russell Westbrook, leader of and believer in the all-mighty power of the one-man show, still wasn’t enough.
Oklahoma City let him down. He let himself down in the final quarter.
And it feels like the Thunder have wasted their best shot to steal this series.
Wednesday was the night. An early 15-point advantage. James Harden initially un-MVP like unless he was living at the free-throw line. West--
brook easily the smoothest player on the court and so often pulling off the absolutely spectacular.
What did his Thunder end up with? A 2-0 Rockets series lead and this first-round matchup feeling more than ever like it’s ending sooner rather than later.
“We didn’t give up. We continued to grind and fight, and figure a way to win,” Harden said. “Tonight was a perfect case.”
Westbrook finished with a surreal 51 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in 41 minutes, which marked the most points scored in NBA playoff history with a triple-double.
But the second he left the court, the Rockets were the stronger team. And by the fourth quarter, it was a worn-out Westbrook shooting 4-of-18 from the floor and the Rockets standing up 115-111 in Game 2.
“I don’t give a (bleep) about the line. We lost,” said an edgy Westbrook, who’s only shooting 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the floor in the series.
The second playoff matchup of Harden versus Westbrook was a perfect case study of the 82-game MVP debate.
Westbrook was brilliant. Except for the fact he was 17-of-43 from the field. Harden was often quiet. Until he ended up with 35 points, eight assists and four rebounds, and pushed his team-first team within two victories of the second round.
Harden’s also 5-1 against Westbrook this season, if wins matter in 2017.
“There’s no doubt about it: 17-of-43, we’ll take that,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “That’s what we tried to do.”
Late to the party
Like a late-arriving Toyota Center crowd — traffic, Andre Johnson’s retirement, Astros? — the Game 2 Rockets took longer than expected to show up.
Make that until 28-13 OKC, with Westbrook putting up his normal 12 points, six rebounds and four assists during the first quarter, while the Thunder adjusted with an inside-out attack that left the Rockets swatting at air.
“We have to be ready. … They’re going to be on their ‘A’ game,” Harden said pregame.
He was right when it came to Westbrook.
Lou Williams did his best Pat Beverley Game 1 impression, igniting his teammates with 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in eight minutes.
Beverley then followed with his own act, pulling the Rockets within 43-40 on a left-corner 3-pointer with 8 minutes, 33 seconds left in the first half.
Westbrook only burned hotter. He was within three rebounds of a tripledouble with 2:20 left before halftime.
He finished the Thunder’s 68-point first half with an MVP-like 22 points, 10 assists and eight boards, spurring an OKC attack that shot 55.3 percent from the floor and outscored the Rockets in three critical categories: paint, second-chance and fast-break points.
“I can pretty much do what I want to do,” Westbrook said Tuesday, while talking down the Rockets’ defense.
But he was never himself in Game 1. He shot just 6-of-23 from the floor, committed a game-high nine turnovers and his Thunder were blown out 118-87.
Three days later, Westbrook started by never hesitating — he set up OKC’s bigs inside, then sliced away from the arc — and returned to his oneman highlight-reel self.
“Guys like (Westbrook), superstars like that, you try to contain them a little bit. … Hopefully, it’s enough. But we’re definitely not going to stop him,” D’Antoni said.
Star runs out of ammo
Definitely not through three quarters.
Westbrook was at 36 points before the final period. Harden sat at 28, but mostly just threatened from the line (16-of-16).
With two minutes left in the third, though, Westbrook rested and the Rockets rose. Harden finally attacked, his team pulled within 89-86 and Toyota Center started feeling like Game 1 all over again.
Beverley buried a 3. Harden connected from the top of the key. Eric Gordon did the same.
Westbrook just shot and shot and shot. Until he and the Thunder had nothing left, and Harden’s Rockets were again the better team.