Balanced Scoring Helps Thunder Defeat Rockets

2013 NBA Playoffs

Oklahoma City, OK

The Oklahoma City Thunder banked on their balanced scoring to rout the Houston Rockets, 120-91, in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round showdown at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points, six rebounds and four assists while Russell Westbrook came close to a triple-double with 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the top seed Thunder.

Serge Ibaka had 17 points and three blocks, Kevin Martin tallied 16, Thabo Sefolosha, Derek Fisher and Reggie Jackson had nine points apiece while Nick Collison had eight for the Thunder.

Former Thunder James Harden paced the Rockets with 20 points on 6-for-19 shooting while Patrick Beverley and Carlos Delfino added 11 and 10 points off the bench, respectively.

Jeremy Lin had a tough night, scoring just four points on 1-of-7 shooting while the Rockets shot 36.3-percent overall and went just 8-of-36 from three-point land.

The Thunder made 44 of 83 attempts from the field for a 53-percent clip and dominated the Rockets in every aspect of the game.

Oklahoma City outrebounded (46-39) and out-assisted (28-17) Houston while playing good defense with nine blocks and nine steals.

The Thunder took an early 13-2 lead from six fastbreak points as the Rockets missed their first nine attempts until Harden made a layup with 5:46 left in the first period.

The Thunder suddenly went cold, making made just four baskets the rest of the opening period that allowed the Rockets to trim the gap to seven entering the second canto.

The Rockets continued their surge in the second period, tying the Thunder at 38 after a triple by Beverley.

However, the Thunder regained their shooting touch, outscoring the Rockets, 22-9, for a 60-47 halftime lead.

In the third, the Rockets missed nine straight shot, allowing the Thunder to take an 89-65 lead heading into the final period.

SPORTS

Balanced Scoring Helps Thunder Defeat Rockets