Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder Box Score on Apr 21, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Apr 22, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY -- James Harden hit one big 3-pointer in the closing minute of Friday night's first-round playoff game between his Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He couldn't make a second.

Russell Westbrook's second missed free throw of the closing seconds kept the door open for Harden heroics, but the Rockets' star missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the ball bounced away long enough for the clock to run out as the Thunder beat Houston 115-113 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Rockets still lead the series 2-1 going into Sunday's Game 4.

After going 4 of 18 from the field in the fourth quarter of a Game 2 loss at Houston, Westbrook stayed mostly in control in the final quarter in this game. He was 3 of 7 and kept his teammates involved throughout after starting the quarter on the bench.

Westbrook finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to keep the Thunder from falling into a 3-0 deficit.

Harden hit a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to lift the Rockets into a tie for the first time since early in the second half.

Westbrook followed with his first 3-point attempt of the game.

It bounced off the rim, but Steven Adams was there to put it back up for the lead.

Then the teams traded free-throw tries until Harden's drive in the final seconds with the Rockets down two.

Westbrook had his triple-double -- his 44th of the season-- by the end of the third quarter. He became the first player with back-to-back triple-doubles in the same playoff series since Jason Kidd in the 2002 Eastern Conference finals.

Harden finished with 44 points with four 3-pointers and 18 free throws.

Thunder coach Billy Donovan adjusted his rotation for Game 3, going to a small lineup early and using Norris Cole with Westbrook off the floor instead of Semaj Christon.

The moved paid off early, as Oklahoma City was able to find offense with the smaller lineup in the first quarter and then play even with the Rockets -- maintaining an 11-point lead -- with Westbrook on the bench for about five minutes.

But the Rockets were able to make a move, cutting the lead from 15 early in the second quarter to five in the final seconds of the half thanks to their ability to get to the free-throw line as the Thunder failed to do the same.

The Rockets continued to cut into the deficit to start the second half, taking their first lead of the game on Harden's 3-pointer less than two minutes into the second half.

NOTES: Rockets F Sam Dekker will have his left hand examined Monday. The exam will come three weeks after Dekker underwent surgery to repair a fracture in the hand. Dekker, who had a plate and seven screws inserted in the procedure, has been shooting this week but hasn't been catching passes with the injured hand. ... Oklahoma City PG Russell Westbrook was fined $15,000 for inappropriate language during a postgame interview after Wednesday's Game 2, the NBA announced. ... Houston's Ryan Anderson made two first-quarter 3-pointers. In the first two games of the series, Anderson missed all 11 of his 3-point attempts. ... Thunder backup PG Semaj Christon was inactive, as was Josh Huestis. Christon played nearly 14 minutes in the opener and 6:38 in Game 2.