The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the second playoff round, but the Los Angeles Clippers’ chances of following suit were dealt a big blow when Chris Paul broke his hand on Monday.
Paul broke his right hand in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 98-84 Game 4 win, as the Clippers guard became the second NBA star to suffer a serious injury in as many days.
Paul left the game in the third quarter and did not return. X-rays showed a fractured third metacarpal.
As if the Paul injury was not enough bad news, Blake Griffin also left the game with a sore knee.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said both players would be examined by team doctors yesterday.
“He [Paul] will get re-evaluated tomorrow, but it does not look good. Chris is taking this very hard. The reality is you do not have Chris Paul,” Rivers said.
Paul left the arena with his arm in a sling and a white bandage around his right wrist and hand.
Asked about Griffin, Rivers said: “It does not look great for him either. We will see about that tomorrow.”
Al-Farouq Aminu scored 30 points as the Blazers evened the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Aminu made 11 of 20 shots from the field, including six of 10 from three-point range. The forward also had 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 69 points as the Thunder advanced to the second round of the post-season with a 118-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The Thunder took the series in five games and are to next face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference matchup. Game 1 is to be played on Saturday at San Antonio.
Durant scored 33 points on 11-of-24 shooting to go along with seven rebounds. Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 boards in front of a crowd of 18,200 at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook racked up 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, shooting 13-for-23 from the floor.
“I will tell you this: I am happy he is on my team,” Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said of Westbrook. “I would not trade him for anybody. There is no question that Russell Westbrook is one of the best players in this league.”
Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks’ attack with 24 points, shooting eight of 16. Dwight Powell came off the bench to score 16 points and grab nine rebounds.
Dallas owner Mark Cuban helped motivate the Thunder by saying before Game 5 that he believed Westbrook was an All-Star, but not a superstar.
“He is an idiot,” Durant said of Cuban. “He is an idiot. That is what we have got to say about that. Next question.”
In Charlotte, Kemba Walker scored 11 straight points in a decisive fourth quarter run as the Charlotte Hornets leveled their Eastern Conference first-round series with a 89-85 win over Miami.
Walker finished with 34 points, hitting 13 of 28 from the field and six of seven from the free-throw line.
There were numerous momentum swings, as Charlotte fell behind by 11 early, but then took control by outscoring the Heat 29-13 in the second quarter.
They led by as many as 18 in the third quarter before the Heat answered with a 17-1 spurt, with the game destined to go to the final seconds from there.
The teams are to head back to Miami, tied at 2-2, for Game 5 today, with Game 6 now set for Friday in Charlotte. The home team has won every game so far in the best-of-seven series.
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