NBA: Durant does it all as Westbrook-less Thunder survive late Rockets rally

Kevin Durant scored 27 points in the first half alone, before nailing a go-ahead trey with 41.9 seconds remaining in the fourth as the Oklahoma City Thunder survived the Houston Rockets, 104-101, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, Saturday (Sunday, PHL time). Despite point guard Russell Westbrook being ruled out for the rest of the season due to surgery prior to the game, the Thunder managed to improve to 3-0 in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals series. With only 3:45 left in the game, Carlos Delfino hit another one of his three's, this time off a Chandler Parsons dish to give the Rockets the lead, but Serge Ibaka drained a fadeaway jumper at the other end to claim it right back for OKC, 95-94. Ibaka would follow it up with a lay-up with 75 seconds remaining, before committing a foul on former Thunder James Harden. Harden hit both charities to keep the Rockets within striking distance, as Ibaka missed a jumper to give the home team a chance to take the lead. Delfino then found Francisco Garcia for a triple with 45.2 seconds remaining, giving Houston a two-point cushion, 99-97. After a timeout by Oklahoma, the Thunder leaned on Durant, who drained a three at the top of the arc. Harden subsequently lost the ball to crafty veteran Derek Fisher, who was fouled by Garcia to stop the clock. Fisher hit both free throws, forcing Houston to call for time with 12.5 seconds remaining. Harden quickly converted on a lay-up with 8.3 ticks to go, as Parsons fouled Reggie Jackson. Jackson hit both, with the Rockets calling for time to advance the ball. With only eight seconds to tie the game, Houston went to Delfino who missed the triple to give Oklahoma City the win. The Thunder exploded for 39 points in the first quarter to eclipse Houston's 19-point production. The home team tried to make it back in the second with a 30-point outing, but Oklahoma kept in step with 27 of their own, to enter the half with a 66-49 advantage. The Rockets tried to make a game out of it in the third, as James Harden and Chandler Parsons unleashed a rally to cut the lead to eight at the 2:31 mark. Durant finally made his first basket of the third, but the conversion was sandwiched by treys from Francisco Garcia and Harden to cut OKC's lead to only three, 80-76, at the end of the third. After going 9-of-16 in the first half, Durant just made 1-of-7 in the third, as the Rockets eclipsed OKC's 14-point quarter with 27 of their own. A Terrence Jones lay-up opened up the fourth for the Rockets, further trimming the lead to two, 80-78, but a free throw from Durant was followed by a Nick Collison lay-up, creating some space for the Thunder, 83-78. Carlos Delfino sank two free throws at the 9:33 mark, but Durant took it right back with a jumper from the top of the key. Delfino would respond by nailing a three from the right wing to cut the lead to two anew with only 8:21 left in the game, 85-83. Derek Fisher created some breathing room for OKC with a jumper at the 7:27 mark, before Delfino drained another triple to cut the deficit to just one. Durant would drive down the lane in just 19 seconds later though, to keep a three-point lead. Serge Ibaka was whistled for a foul on Harden, and the former Thunder hit both from the stripe.  Durant answered with two of his own at the other end, but Parsons would tie the game with a trey of his own at the 5:46 mark. The Rockets had a chance to surge ahead, but Harden missed two free throws off a Thabo Sefalosha foul. Harden would commit a foul at the other end, and Durant would sink both to keep the lead. Durant racked up a total of 41 points along with 14 rebounds for the Thunder in 47 minutes of play. Serge Ibaka had 17 and 11, while Reggie Jackson scored 14. Kevin Martin contributed 12 off the bench. James Harden led Houston with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Chandler parson had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Francisco Garcia had 18 off the bench, including four treys, while Carlos Delfino chipped in 11. - AMD, GMA News