Rockets Survive Thunder To Advance To Western Semis, 104-102

This was a very strange basketball game. Surreal is how I might put it. The Vegas over/under for this game was 217 points and it comes in at 206 points. Very interesting.

For the first time since he was abandoned by Kevin Durant…Russell Westbrook has advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs. For the fourth straight season since he was abandoned by Kevin Durant….Billy Donovan doesn’t get out of the first round.

Let me be clear, I’m neither a Billy D hater or lover. Even when he was at Florida he’s not a coach who I was all that interested in listening to in pressers. Even if he was still coaching the Gators in the SEC… he’s not a guy like Bruce Pearl or John Calipari who I’d really want to spend a basketball season with for eight months or so. I don’t care about NCAA violations. I just enjoy listening to interesting, funny coaches if possible.

So…the Thunder don’t advance again without Kevin Durant. And …oh, boy it was there to be had on a night James Harden only scored 17 points on a 4-15 shooting night. It was there to be had… boys.

Russell scored 20 points in 33 minutes and for the most part didn’t turn into a werewolf at just the wrong time for the Rockets. He only went 0-2 from beyond the arc and limited himself to two turnovers. Both wins for the Rockets on the stat sheet. Jim Traber would be okay with this.

Eric Gordon and Robert Covington were in my mind the Rockets’ best two players on the night. What a great pickup for Houston adding Covington to their squad at mid-season.

As far as OKC… you have to call it like you see it. Big Gallo scored only 6 points and was -16. Chris Paul, SGA, and Dennis Schroder were not stellar when it mattered. Some wide open shots didn’t fall at clutch time.

CP3, SGA, and Big Gallo combined only took 28 shots while Lu Dort on a career night took 21 shots and scored 30 points.

I love Dort, but this isn’t quite the role I envisoned for him. But I love his heart and toughness. I can’t believe he isn’t a hockey player for the Montreal Canadians. I wonder if Lu Dort has a crisp back crossover?

Looking back on this series maybe Steven Adams’ role and minutes should have been tweaked a bit. He shouldn’t have even been in the game on the last inbounds play with 1.1 seconds. Only catch and shoot guys should have been on the floor. You know…maybe someone like Muscala or Bazely..

I thought Bazely was good in the first half. Kid has something about him I’m really starting to like. I love when he grabbed the rebound away from PJ Tucker and growled at him. That was a TSN five star moment for me.. I now officially love Darius Bazely.

So..it’s the Rockets vs. the Lakers and the Nuggets vs. the Clippers in the West. Exactly what Vegas thought it would be. The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics in the East have turned the East upside down. There will be plenty of hoops to watch along with the Stanley Cup games.

I’m not sure who I’m rooting for just yet. Maybe the Miami Heat or the Rockets. I need to reflect on this a little more.

Me personally…I love coaches who wear their hearts on their sleeve. It’s just me. I’m Italian.