The Thunder wasn’t necessarily out of the woods yet when it started the fourth quarter, because the Warriors are known for making any lead unsafe. Behind some bouncy energy on both ends from Serge Ibaka, two beautiful assists by Adams and some timely shooting by Durant and Westbrook, the Thunder slugged right back with that 18-4 burst, building a 66-46 lead with 1:55 to go when Dion Waiters in the secondary break dropped off pass to Ibaka for a hook shot in the lane.After halftime, the Warriors again made a desperate push, playing an extremely high level of defense that disrupted the Thunder for a very long stretch. Game 4 between Houston and OKC tips off at 3:00 p.m. Central on Monday, with a national broadcast on TNT and a regional version (with Houston announcers) on AT&T SportsNet Southwest. Dennis Schroder had his second excellent game in a row, leading the Thunder with 30 points. The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the series with the Houston Rockets at two games apiece Monday, winning Game 4 by a score of 117-114. In congruence with its defense, the Thunder also took advantage of an offensive wrinkle it has been employing over the past two games that made the Warriors pay.Despite not doing it much in the regular season, Donovan utilized third-year guard and defensive ace Andre Roberson at the dunker spot and as a screen-and-roller on offense, effectively turned him into the center. Golden State Warriors Highlights vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 05/26/2016 Collectively, they easily had their most efficient shooting game of the series at 30-of-61 overall (49.2%).Harden also put some blame on himself for picking up too many fouls early in the game, which limited his ability to play aggressively late in regulation and led to him fouling out in the first minute of overtime.“I can’t pick up cheap fouls throughout the course of the game, and then I wouldn’t be in that position later in the game,” Harden said.There were, however, other officiating judgments that seemed to agitate the Rockets. They practice that stuff with the bigs.”The emphatic, eyebrow-raising play came in the midst of a Thunder 18-4 rampage in the second quarter of the Thunder’s 118-94 Game 4 victory over the Golden State Warriors, as Head Coach Billy Donovan’s club took a 3-1 lead in these Western Conference Finals. No other player has matched those numbers against the Warriors in the past four seasons.A photo posted by Oklahoma City Thunder (@okcthunder) on “It was just sticking to the game plan. Somehow, the full-throttle Westbrook was able to turn and sprint, beating three Warriors to the basket for a timeout-inducing finger roll layup. PerHouston could also use better shooting from its supporting cast. “He did a great job of setting screens, he did a great job of rolling, making plays, finishing and just being under the rim. The ball was just finding him.”“We have to be prepared for him to do that again and he has to be ready when he gets the ball to be aggressive,” Durant continued.On the following play, Roberson screened for Westbrook and turned to the rim when his man tried to trap the Thunder point guard.
“You have to have some resiliency and some toughness and some fight to you. Chris Paul and Co. looked like an inspired bunch in Game 3 Our focus was really high, we didn’t get discouraged by any runs or mistakes that we made. This site is operated jointly by NBA and WarnerMedia. Using our length is what we try to emphasize throughout the whole year.”Golden State finished off the first quarter with an 11-2 burst, however, and managed to pull back to within 32-30 with 10:07 to go in the second quarter. That’s pretty much what determined the game.” – center A photo posted by Oklahoma City Thunder (@okcthunder) on That’s when the Thunder flexed its muscles on defense, holding Golden State to just 12 points and erasing any chance of this series being even heading back to Oakland. If you make a request through Houston Rockets superstar point guard Russell Westbrook won’t play in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the former MVP still made sure to … Every day in practice at the end of a drill, Thunder center Steven Adams plucks the basketball with his right hand, and fires it like a football to a streaking Russell Westbrook, who tries to tap his toes in along the sideline, like some alternate reality quarterback-to-wide receiver touchdown in the back of the end zone. A few possession later, Roberson drove baseline and hooked up Westbrook with an easy bucket in the lane, then found Serge Ibaka with a hook shot after receiving the ball in space.“I’m just taking what’s given to me,” Roberson said. The ball hit Roberson in stride and he finished at the rim with easy. )Aside from Westbrook’s absence, the biggest storyline for the Rockets could be getting MVP finalist But during the last two games, which Dort has played, Harden is averaging 29.5 points per game on 39.5% shooting, and just 20.8% on 3-pointers. He’s a really high basketball IQ player. The Rockets averaged 107.5 points in regulation in Game 2 and Game 3, down more than 15 from their Game 1 total.Houston was one of the NBA’s top offenses all year Harden is now shooting 5-of-34 (14.7%) against Dort this season. And we will, I think, in Game 4.” The Thunder were led in Game 3 by their three top guards in Dennis Schroder, Chris Paul, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who scored 29, 26, and 23 points, respectively. That wouldn’t be the case with a loss to the Thunder in Monday’s Game 4.If Houston wins, they’re up 3-1 and have a chance to close out the series in five games — which would allow them to get a few days of rest before their second-round clash, likely against the West’s top seed, the Los Angeles Lakers. “He has such great force and great will. I think our team has it.”After an emotional blowout win at home in Game 3, the Thunder returned to Chesapeake Energy Arena and picked up right where it left off, utilizing a 16-0 run midway through the first quarter to take a 22-8 lead with 5:42 to go in the period after a Russell Westbrook three-pointer, on a second chance possession.The Thunder forced five of Golden State’s whopping 21 turnovers in the first 6:09 of play, setting the tone for a stymieing defensive effort that held the Warriors to just 41.3 percent shooting on the night, including 6-for-20 from the two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry.“We did a good job of keeping our hands up and trying to make them score over us,” Durant explained.
“You have to have some resiliency and some toughness and some fight to you. Chris Paul and Co. looked like an inspired bunch in Game 3 Our focus was really high, we didn’t get discouraged by any runs or mistakes that we made. This site is operated jointly by NBA and WarnerMedia. Using our length is what we try to emphasize throughout the whole year.”Golden State finished off the first quarter with an 11-2 burst, however, and managed to pull back to within 32-30 with 10:07 to go in the second quarter. That’s pretty much what determined the game.” – center A photo posted by Oklahoma City Thunder (@okcthunder) on That’s when the Thunder flexed its muscles on defense, holding Golden State to just 12 points and erasing any chance of this series being even heading back to Oakland. If you make a request through Houston Rockets superstar point guard Russell Westbrook won’t play in Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the former MVP still made sure to … Every day in practice at the end of a drill, Thunder center Steven Adams plucks the basketball with his right hand, and fires it like a football to a streaking Russell Westbrook, who tries to tap his toes in along the sideline, like some alternate reality quarterback-to-wide receiver touchdown in the back of the end zone. A few possession later, Roberson drove baseline and hooked up Westbrook with an easy bucket in the lane, then found Serge Ibaka with a hook shot after receiving the ball in space.“I’m just taking what’s given to me,” Roberson said. The ball hit Roberson in stride and he finished at the rim with easy. )Aside from Westbrook’s absence, the biggest storyline for the Rockets could be getting MVP finalist But during the last two games, which Dort has played, Harden is averaging 29.5 points per game on 39.5% shooting, and just 20.8% on 3-pointers. He’s a really high basketball IQ player. The Rockets averaged 107.5 points in regulation in Game 2 and Game 3, down more than 15 from their Game 1 total.Houston was one of the NBA’s top offenses all year Harden is now shooting 5-of-34 (14.7%) against Dort this season. And we will, I think, in Game 4.” The Thunder were led in Game 3 by their three top guards in Dennis Schroder, Chris Paul, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who scored 29, 26, and 23 points, respectively. That wouldn’t be the case with a loss to the Thunder in Monday’s Game 4.If Houston wins, they’re up 3-1 and have a chance to close out the series in five games — which would allow them to get a few days of rest before their second-round clash, likely against the West’s top seed, the Los Angeles Lakers. “He has such great force and great will. I think our team has it.”After an emotional blowout win at home in Game 3, the Thunder returned to Chesapeake Energy Arena and picked up right where it left off, utilizing a 16-0 run midway through the first quarter to take a 22-8 lead with 5:42 to go in the period after a Russell Westbrook three-pointer, on a second chance possession.The Thunder forced five of Golden State’s whopping 21 turnovers in the first 6:09 of play, setting the tone for a stymieing defensive effort that held the Warriors to just 41.3 percent shooting on the night, including 6-for-20 from the two-time reigning MVP Stephen Curry.“We did a good job of keeping our hands up and trying to make them score over us,” Durant explained.