Westbrook, Durant aid Thunder beat Clippers
Kevin Durant stood prior to his loving residence crowd, proudly holding his MVP trophy over his head during a pregame ceremony.
He invested the next couple of hours showing how he made it.
Durant had 32 factors, 12 rebounds and 9 helps, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the L.a Clippers 112-101 on Wednesday night to link their Western Conference semifinal series at one video game apiece.
" We would like to return and respond," Durant claimed." So, I assume that's just what sustained the group tonight. We merely went out there and played exceptionally well and left everything around, and brought out a good 'W."'.
Throughout his psychological MVP acceptance speech on Tuesday, Durant called teammate Russell Westbrook an MVP-caliber player. Westbrook backed up Durant's words with 31 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 aids for his third triple-double in his previous 5 championship game.
" I assume Russ played more difficult compared to all of us combined," Clippers guard Chris Paul said." He was all over the place.".
Thunder instructor Scott Brooks took Durant from the video game with 1:21 continuing to be, costing him a chance at the triple-double. According to info given to the Thunder by the Elias Sports Agency, no pair of teammates has had triple-doubles in the same championship game.
Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha each scored 14 points for the Thunder, who shot 51 percent from the area and outrebounded the Clippers 52-36.
" It was the excellent storm," Clippers guard Jamal Crawford stated." They did every little thing they could to succeed, and they acquired everything they desired today. That had not been the Clippers group we have actually been and I make sure we'll return on track.".
J.J. Redick racked up 18 points, Paul had 17 factors and 11 assists, and Blake Griffin added 15 points for the Clippers. Los Angeles made 15 of 29 3-pointers in Video game 1, but simply 9 of 27 in Game 2.
The Clippers will certainly organize Game 3 Friday in Los Angeles.
Durant scored 17 factors on 7-for-11 shooting in the very first quarter to help the Thunder take a 37-28 lead. Paul, which racked up 17 factors outdoors quarter of Video game 1, went scoreless in the very first quarter of Game 2 and checked out most of the duration from the bench with 2 fouls as the Thunder took control early.
Oklahoma City obtained an offending boost from an extremely unlikely source in the 3rd quarter - Sefolosha, a protective stopper. He attacked a mid-range jumper, then soaked after a swipe by Westbrook to give the Thunder a 78-66 lead. Sefolosha soaked once again, then got a steal that brought about a 3-pointer by Westbrook and provided Oklahoma City a 90-73 advantage.
Sefolosha, which had actually averaged merely 3.7 factors in the playoffs, scored 12 factors in the quarter to help the Thunder take a 94-77 lead into the fourth. Clippers trainer Doc Rivers claimed he anticipated Durant and Westbrook to score, yet not Sefolosha.
" We can succeed if they (Durant and Westbrook) both have good offensive games," Rivers said." Just what we can not do is then provide them that plus everything else. And I believed that's exactly what occurred tonight.".
Westbrook clinched his triple-double with 1:21 remaining when he was accepted with an assist after a pass to Sefolosha, who took 2 dribbles on his drive to the container.
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Rivers mentioned the Thunder were the assailants.
" Every belongings, you need to have great emphasis and you need to be locked in, and today we were not," he mentioned." I thought it was as a result of all the clutter today. We're upset at the officials, we're upset at everything instead of transforming our temper on the challenger and focus. Tonight we just really did not have it.".
