Oklahoma City’s latest round of good fortune with the stripes came during its 108-102 victory over Golden State in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday, as Russell Westbrook escaped a traveling call in the game’s final minute.
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Westbrook scored 19 of his 27 points in the third quarter and finished with 12 assists, seven steals and six rebounds. Kevin Durant, who made a key 17-foot jumper with 30.7 seconds left, had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Steven Adams with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
But a amusing thing happened on the way to a Warriors Game 1 knockout in the Western Conference finals. The Warriors took only 17 free throws, 15 less than the Thunder.
Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team in National Basketball Association history to face two teams in the same post-season that have won more than 65 games in the regular season, but that doesn’t seem to scare them.
Westbrook had missed nine of his first 10 shots before pouring in five of seven, including a pair of 3-pointers, over the final 7:02 of the third quarter.
Despite all the 73 wins hoopla, when it comes to facing the Thunder, the Warriors were always going to be slightly under-sized.
“It’s just different, mate”, he said.
March 3: Warriors 121-106, the biggest voices in the OKC locker room conceding the 42-20 record was built largely on the soft sand of a weak schedule before the All-Star break.
Golden State actually led, 88-85, heading into the fourth before a Durant three on the opening possession tied it up.
Oklahoma City has successfully flipped the script from the regular season.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan and Warriors coach Steve Kerr acknowledged a long-time friendship dating back to Donovan’s days coaching at Florida and Kerr’s as a TNT broadcaster. “I thought he walked but it wasn’t called, so that’s the way it goes”. That’s something we’ve got to get better with.
The Thunder ultimately outscored the Warriors by 19 points in the second half.
“It’s the time of the year where you’re going to get hit”, Westbrook said, “but you’ve got to find a way to get back up”.
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The Warriors got a little sloppy, too. Grabbing home-court advantage and a quick lead in the best-of-seven series – while digging out from a 14-point second-half deficit – was what really matter. “I wasn’t thinking straight”. “It’s a long series”, Warriors star Stephen Curry said after his club’s first Game 1 loss in the past two seasons. Westbrook sealed the win with free throws as Curry missed his final three shots.
