Rockets Crush Thunder 118-87 as James Harden Outplays Russell Westbrook

James Harden's Houston Rockets landed the first blow Sunday in a heavyweight postseason showdown with fellow MVP candidate Russell Westbrook's Oklahoma City Thunder.

Harden and the Rockets defended home-court advantage in Game 1 at the Toyota Center with a straightforward 118-87 victory.

Harden led the way with 37 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and Patrick Beverley effectively played the role of supporting actor with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Westbrook did as Westbrook does and challenged for a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn't enough to steal a game on the road.

Harden Makes His MVP Statement

Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com noted Harden shot a mere 34 percent from the field against the Thunder during the regular season, and he struggled again at times Sunday at 3-of-11 from deep.

However, his fingerprints were all over Game 1, which is a testament to his development as an all-around superstar. The NBA's assist leader consistently set up his teammates with open opportunities and found his own scoring touch down the stretch.

CBS Sports responded to the formidable showing:

Harden is known for his smoothness compared to Westbrook's ferocious tenacity, but the Rockets star created plenty of energy with his dazzling ball-handling that put the Thunder defenders in the blender multiple times.

Martin Rickman of Uproxx Sports pointed to the energy Harden helped generate:

The game was still hanging in the balance entering the second half, but Harden took over for extended stretches and created enough separation to eliminate any questions of who would win by the final quarter.

Beverley Counters Westbrook

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

The 2016-17 campaign was largely defined by what Westbrook did on a nightly basis, averaging a triple-double and beating Oscar Robertson's record of 41 triple-doubles in a season. However, he couldn't elevate his team to a win in his first playoff game without Kevin Durant, and Beverley's impact was a major reason why.

Despite his impressive stat line, Westbrook forced the issue at times and finished with nine turnovers at an inefficient 6-of-23 from the field. Fred Katz of the Norman Transcript highlighted Beverley's hounding defense:

Josh Eberley of Hoop magazine acknowledged Westbrook was also to blame:

Steven Adams attempted to free Westbrook from Beverley's relentless defense with a physically imposing screen, but the Rockets guard bounced right back and drilled a three a few possessions later.

He caught the attention of Andy Glockner in the process:

Westbrook is going to post head-turning numbers for the Thunder, but it is difficult to envision the Rockets losing this series if Beverley matches the MVP candidate's intensity and limits his efficiency.

Who Says Houston Needs the Three?

The Rockets led the league in made three-pointers this season but won with a different strategy Sunday.

Houston was just 10-of-33 (30.3 percent) from deep but set the tone early with physicality down low. Despite going just 3-of-16 from three in the first half, they built a five-point lead by intermission behind a commanding 21-0 lead in second-chance points and 42-24 advantage in paint points, highlighted by Clint Capela's ridiculous and-1:

In all, Houston ended with a 56-41 rebounding margin and demonstrated an important versatility that will help it win games in the postseason when the three-pointers aren't falling.

What's Next?

Game 2 is Wednesday in Houston.

All the Rockets did in the big picture is hold serve, which puts plenty of pressure on the next one. The Thunder would be thrilled with a split in Houston and still have the opportunity to seize it with a bounce-back effort.