End of the Season for the Thunders with Game 5 Win for Rockets

Houston Rockets will now fly to the Western Conference semifinals ending the first round series with OKC Thunders, 4-1 lead.

OKC Thunders are off to a good start leading the first quarter with 6-point advantage against Rockets. With a perfect display of defense and power shots from Russel Westbrook the Thunders secured the first quarter with teamplay from Andre Roberson and Steven Adams finishing with 22-16 lead. Second quarter is all for Houston Rockets peaking a total of 35 points all from free throws and shots from Lou Williams, Clint Capela, Patrick Beverley, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon and dunks made by Nene Hilario and 3-pointers from James Harden ending the quarter with 22-35 lead.

Both teams balanced it out on third quarter with defensive rebounds and missed shots putting the lead back to OKC Thunders, 33-21. Russel Westbrook pulled up his team in the fourth quarter doing lay ups and three point shots with Alex Abrines doing a 23-foot turnaround jumper from the left wing in the last 6 seconds of the fourth quarter finishing the game with 6 point disadvantage, final score 99-105.

(courtesy: youtube/Rapid Highlights)

Harden and Westbrook Performance Went Opposite Directions as Rockets Crushed OKC

In the battle of the two MVP candidates, James Harden and Russel Westbrook had a lot to prove to the world and against each other as this series might help in determining who the rightful MVP is this year.

OKC started nicely in the first quarter leading the game at 29 -27.  The Rockets, however, was on steady ascend since the first quarter while the Thunders showed weariness as the game went on.

OKC scored  29 in the 1st, 25 in the 2nd, 20 in the 3rd and 13 in the last quarter. Their performance was dwindling down and the game went out of their hands.  The Thunders as a team had a measly field goal percentage at 37%.  Two of the main guys of OKC was just out of their game.

Victor Oladipo only had 6 points with 8% (1/12) field goal percentage. On the other hand, Westbrook almost had a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 turnovers. Looks like he had a great game but not really. His field goal was 26% (6/23).

Both Oladipo and Westbrook were shutdown.

Credits have to be given to the backcourt of the Houston Rockets, who not only played great defense but was shooting the lights out against the struggling Thunders.

James Harden scored 37, while Patrick Beverly scored 21 points.

The final score 118 – 87, Rockets won game 1.

(courtesy: youtube/Motion Station)

Internet Broke when Kevin Durant Announced Joining The Golden State Warriors

Kevin Durant reportedly signing with the Golden State Warriors. According to USA Today Sports, the contract will be a 2-year, $54 million, with player option for second year. Contract will allow Durant to maximize the projected salary cap of $107 million next year on condition of anonymity because contracts can’t be signed until the moratorium ends on July 7.

Many people are not happy about Kevin Durant switching teams and still remember him tweeting: “Now everybody wanna play for the heat and the Lakers? Let’s go back to being competitive and going at these people” when LeBron James joined the Heat in 2010. For them, they are now the same. Both left their teams to chase rings…

Kevin Durant became MVP averaging 27.4 points and 7 rebounds, seven-time All-Star with the Oklahoma City Thunder and led the team to the NBA Finals in 2012, and to the Western Conference finals in four of the past six years.

“It really pains me to know that I will disappoint so many people with this choice, but I believe I am doing what I feel is the right thing at this point in my life and my playing career. “I will miss Oklahoma City, and the role I have had in building this remarkable team”, Durant wrote (source of quote: The Associated Press).

Durant thinks he is the best player in the world

“Oh yeah, and I’m still the best player in the world”. This is what the 2013-14 Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant said during an interview on his promotion of KD VIII sponsored by Nike in Spain.

“I’m cleared to play. I’m 100% healthy. I miss playing the game, I miss competing, I miss my teammates, I miss the Thunder arena. We’re ready to take on the challenge. We’re under the radar, that’s exactly where we want to be, and we’re looking forward to having a good season,” says Durant.

No disrespect to Durant, but he must have forgotten about LeBron James. In the 2015 NBA Finals, LeBron James came out and said that he was the best player in the world, and rightfully so.

Back in 2012, when the then LeBron-led Heat took on the Oklahoma City Thunder, James outdueled Durant by averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game compared to Durant’s 30.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals.

Durant does have to prove that he can play a relatively healthy season after struggling to stay on the court last season. As of now, we’d still give LeBron the edge over him.