With Russell Westbrook likely out for the remainder of the postseason, Kevin Durant's newfound efficiency was thrown out the window in favor of 30 shot attempts, 41 points and a nail-biting 104-101 Game 3 victory for the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Rockets in Houston.
Durant had to carry the scoring load vacated by Westbrook, who will undergo surgery this week for a torn lateral meniscus. Durant was 13-of-30 from the field, pouring in a game-high 41 points and also pulling down 14 rebounds while serving as the primary ball handler for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder, who are a close-knit group, all said that Westbrook's absence was a tough cross to bear. "I didn't feel the same," Durant said. "And I knew I just had to give my all from here on out ... every game is for him." Veteran point guard Derek Fisher, who has spent the last two postseasons in Oklahoma City, said, "We're still grieving, so to speak, as a team. But that's why I'm here, and that's why this is a team. Injuries and bad things happen in sports, but we still have to figure out a way to get things done."
Power forward Serge Ibaka stepped up in a big way for Oklahoma City as well, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 of rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Former Thunder sixth man James Harden once again was able to score 30 points, but he could not will Houston to a win in this pivotal Game 3. The Rockets are now down 3-0 in this first-round series, a deficit that has never been overcome by any team in the NBA. "We have to have that energy from the beginning of the game to the end of the game," he said. "We can't have droughts. You have to play a solid game for 48 minutes."
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