The NBA season is over for the Oklahoma City Thunder after the Houston Rockets closed them out 105-99 in game five to claim a 4-1 series win in the opening round of the playoffs.
The one man show that has been Russell Westbrook was again dominant for the Thunder, and while Rockets talisman James Harden battled from the field, more timely cameos from the likes of sixth man extraordinaire Louis Williams (22 points) and a resurgent Nene (14 pts, 7 rebounds) saw them over the line.
Westbrook finished just shy of a trademark triple double with a monster line of 47 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
Kiwi Steven Adams was a presence defensively but had minimal touches around the basket, closing with 7 points and 9 rebounds to go with four blocks and two steals.
It was a slow start to proceedings as both sides struggled offensively throughout the first half, Westbrook leading the way with 18 points at the interval as the Rockets established a slight edge at the break.
The Rockets persisted with their barrage from beyond the arc in the second half but simply could not find their range, at one stage just five of 31 attempts from distance.
Meanwhile, Westbrook launched an assault of his own from deep as he proceeded to take over the game, pouring in 20 third quarter points in guiding the Thunder to a five-point advantage heading into the final stanza.
With Westbrook sitting to start the fourth quarter, the hosts proceeded to go on a Williams-inspired 14-4 run to reclaim the lead.
The Thunder's offense stagnated further as they persisted with long-range shooting with minimal success, while Harden found his home at the free throw line and the defense managed some crucial stops down the stretch to seal the victory.
The Rockets will now move on to play the winner of the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies series in the second round of the playoffs.
Newshub.
