The Houston Rockets had the chance to take the seventh seed and play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western conference finals, but after losing 99-95 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday in the final game of the season, the team will now play the Oklahoma City Thunder as the eighth seed.
The Rockets held close for most of the game, but after heading into overtime the Lakers were able to pull off the victory behind a triple double from Pau Gasol and now James Harden will play against his old teammates in the Thunder in the first round matchup. The two teams played three times this season with the Thunder winning two of them.
The matchups between the two teams were all high scoring affairs, with the winner scoring 120 point or more each time and no team scoring less than 94 in any game. The Rockets won the last game 122-119, while the Thunder took the first two 120-98 and 124-94 and now they will face off again in a playoff series. Harden was traded just before the season began due to contract issues and now he will have the chance to exact revenge if he wants.
James Harden had some chances at the end of overtime, but Dwight Howard blocked his final shot and the team was sent home with a loss after Chandler Parsons hit a three to send the game into extra time. The loss dropped the Rockets down to 45-37 and they will now play the Thunder, who already locked up the top seed.
Houston was ahead for most of the game, but the Lakers were able to overcome despite losing Bryant for the rest of the season, while Jeremy Lin added 12 points on four of 14 shots with eight assists and now finishes his first season in Houston with 13.4 points and 6.1 assists after signing his big contract.
The Rockets will be long shots to win, but the Thunder have previously pushed teams to the brink as they were on their way up through the West as a young team and lower seed and Lin and Harden will be looking to do the same.
