PHOTO/Getty Images-Joe Murphy
After Tuesday night's loss in Portland, the one that put the Thunder down 0-2 in their first round playoff series with the Trail Blazers, Russell Westbrook took the blame. Said his play had been "unacceptable" and promised to be better in Game 3.
Mission accomplished.
Westbrook scored 33 points on 11-of-22 shooting (including 4-of-6 on threes), dished 11 assists and grabbed five rebounds as the Thunder beat Portland 120-108. In the first two games the Thunder were averaging about 20 points under what they'd been scoring per game in the regular season and had been historically bad from deep (10-for-61,16.4%). Friday night they hit 15 threes on 29 attempts (51.7%) and except for a 43 point explosions in the 3rd quarter held the Blazers in check.
And oh yeah, Russ made a shot over Damian Lillard and hit him with the rock the baby routine...
As the game wore on it got chippy, Russ picked up a technical, The Blazers scored in the closing seconds instead of just letting the clock run out and then Paul George hit a big slam just after the final buzzer. So more fuel could be added to a building Sunday fire.
After the game a couple more "next question" answers from Russ to Berry Tramel, even one from Paul George to a reporter from Portland.
The Thunder shot 48% overall with five players in double figures, Russ, Paul George with 22, Jerami Grant, popped out of a playoff cold streak with 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting (4/5 on threes), dennis Sxchroder with 17 and Steven Adams added 10.
Damian Lillard got blistering hot in that 3rd quarter scoring 25 or Portland's 43 points. He finished with 32.
Game 4 on Sunday night should be a doozy. Tipoff at 8:30. Seeya there.