The Thunder's winning streak in the playoffs finally came to an end at six tonight, as the Lakers fought their way to a crucial win in Game 3. The game was an uneven affair, as neither team could find any sort of offensive rhythm and both teams relied heavily on the free throw line to produce points. While a final score in the 90's was like a scoring waterfall as compared to Game 2, Game 3 will be known more for the foul calls than the made baskets.
Kobe Bryant scored 36 and Kevin Durant scored 31, so you might be tempted to think that it was a classic scorers' duel, but the shot attempts came in such a stilted manner that in reality the game came down to which team could keep the other team off the free throw line the best. In the end, OKC's jump-shooting tendencies made them less likely to receive the calls, while Kobe and the LA gang continued to pound it inside to produce fouls. In the end, this knowledge of how to produce points when shots were not falling was the ultimate difference.
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