Russell Westbrook didn’t have the best game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. The Thunder forced a Game 7 with a 114-110 victory over the Houston Rockets, who let the game slip in the last seconds.
Added to the fact that Chris Paul was in beast mode in the fourth quarter, James Harden and Russell Westbrook didn’t show up when their team most needed him.
Harden was great for the first three quarters and then disappeared. Westbrook didn’t have a great game in general and that cost his team. With 7.6 seconds left of regulation, Westbrook took a turnover that made a failed attempt. That was the end of it for the Rockets, who looked disconcerted with all the mistakes he made in crunch time.
After the game, Russ addressed this situation, taking the blame for his team’s loss. He mentioned that turnovers were a big factor in the game and not only the last one; he had seven TOs during the game and his team suffered that.
“That’s my fault, honestly. That’s easy. Last game I had zero (turnovers) and tonight I had seven. Simple as that,” Russ said in his postgame interview.
Russell Westbrook on Rockets’ turnover problems in Game 6 loss to Thunder: “That’s my fault, honestly. That’s easy. Last game I had zero and tonight I had seven. Simple as that.” pic.twitter.com/bd57AGv1vB
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 1, 2020
James Harden reflected on that specific play, defending his teammate, saying Westbrook did what he believed was right at that time.
“That play was for Russ (Westbrook) to attack the basket. He attacked the basket and he made the decision he felt was open.”
Rockets’ James Harden on Russell Westbrook’s critical late turnover in Game 6 loss to Thunder: “That play was for Russ to attack the basket. He attacked the basket and he made the decision he felt was open.” pic.twitter.com/DTEfIw2CZm
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 1, 2020
Now the Rockets will have to play a Game 7 against the Rockets to try to finish the job. They were close to winning this game but CP3 and their own mistakes have brought them to a win-or-go-home situation. This series has been incredible; probably the most entertainers of the playoffs so far with the Jazz-Nuggets one.
Game 7 will take place on Wednesday and we expect a lot of emotions. Westbrook and CP3 with the chance to eliminate their former teams and the guy they were traded for.
