The NBA playoffs are supposed to be a display of some of the best basketball in the world and I honestly cannot tell you what was going on in the final seconds of Game 4 in the Rockets-Thunder series. The entire fourth quarter was strange but we went into another stratosphere with about 25 seconds left. Here is what went down:
Rockets and Thunder forget how to play basketball in ridiculous NBA playoff game ending
This was absolutely bonkers.
1. The Rockets were up five at this point, 108-103, and for some reason rather than running the clock out, James Harden drove to the basket on a fast break and tried to make a pass that was broken up by Russell Westbrook and resulted in a turnover. The ball got to Steven Adams, who was immediately fouled by Nene 94 feet from the basket.
2. Adams made his first free throw but missed his second, got his own rebound, and fired it out to Westbrook, who knocked down a huge three-pointer. So now we have a four-point possession and the score is 108-107, Rockets. With me?
3. The Rockets got the ball back with 18.4 seconds left and the Thunder were unable to commit a foul quick enough, which resulted in Nene not only making a layup on the other end, but being fouled on it. Now we’re at 111-107, Rockets with 11 seconds left. What.
4. Westbrook missed his next shot on the other end but Alex Abrines tipped it in. The score was now 111-109 with six seconds to go and it was time for Houston to inbounds the ball so it could run the clock out or get fouled. What did it do? Eric Gordon lobbed in a horrible inbounds pass that Westbrook got his hands on but couldn’t grab. Another near turnover. Not to mention the horrible push off by Harden here that was not called.
5. The game ended on two Gordon free throws after this, allowing the Rockets to win, 113-109.
Harden was asked on ABC immediately after the game how the ending was. His answer: “Terrible.” I agree.
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