By MATT CLAYTON Staff Writer on Apr 25, 2013, at 11:18 AM Updated on 4/25 at 11:18 AM
OKC THUNDER
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1. As I said after Game 1, each game in the playoffs is different. Three days after a 120-91 win over the Rockets, Oklahoma City was able to extend their series lead to 2-0 with a 105-102 win on Wednesday night. It’s amazing how different this game was in comparison to the Sunday night game. With that being said, Game 3 in Houston on Saturday night will be different from the first two games. It’s what happens in the playoffs. As the series moves forward, each team makes adjustments that they hope will change the outcome of the game and the series
2. Rockets coach Kevin McHale went with a three-guard lineup from the start Wednesday night. Did it help? Yes. Was it enough to pull out a win? No. The Rockets went small with Jeremy Lin, James Harden and Patrick Beverley to challenge what the Thunder are able to do on defense. On defense, McHale threw a zone at the Thunder in the fourth quarter, forcing them to rely on isolation offense and outside shooting. It almost worked.
3. The Russell Westbrook-Patrick Beverley matchup might be the best thing going in the series. The Harden storyline will continue to be entertaining, but there’s no real anger there, except maybe from the fans. Beverley-Westbrook will continue to be interesting to watch as the series moves forward.
4. How far can the Thunder advance in the playoffs taking 35 three-point shots? Will they beat the Rockets? Yes. Can they beat anyone else doing that? I don’t think so.
5. It’s great when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each score 29 points, but the Thunder is best as a team when Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha and Kevin Martin are hitting shots. Martin finished with 10 points (on 3-of-9 shooting), Sefolosha finished with 11 points (of 4-of-9 shooting, and Ibaka finished with 12 points, including a 19-foot jumper to seal the game with 49 seconds left.
