Chris Paul, Thunder Blow out Rockets 113-92 in Russell Westbrook's OKC Return

The Oklahoma City Thunder spoiled Russell Westbrook's first game back at Chesapeake Energy Arena by snapping the Houston Rockets' three-game winning streak with a 113-92 blowout win Thursday night.

The Thunder sent Westbrook to Houston in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul, future picks and pick swaps last summer. 

When the Rockets hosted the Thunder in the third game of the season on Oct. 28, Westbrook nearly recorded a triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists as Houston edged OKC 116-112. 

Things were nowhere near as close in their second matchup. The Thunder closed the opening quarter with a 16-point lead and did not relent for the rest of the evening. OKC led by as many as 30, while the Rockets could only manage to lead by as many as three despite Westbrook's game-high 34 points.

Houston was hindered by an uncharacteristically poor shooting night from James Harden, who went 5-of-17 from the field (2-of-9 from three-point range).

The Thunder outshot the Rockets as a whole. OKC went 49.4 percent from the field, including 34.4 percent from three, while Houston struggled to 38.2 percent and 27.5 percent, respectively.

The Thunder improved to 22-16 and are in a much better position in the Western Conference than many expected when general manager Sam Presti traded away Westbrook and All-Star forward Paul George.

The 25-12 Rockets fell to fourth place in the Western Conference behind the 26-12 Los Angeles Clippers, 26-11 Denver Nuggets and 30-7 Los Angeles Lakers.

Notable Performances

OKC F Danilo Gallinari: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

OKC G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

OKC G Chris Paul: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals

OKC G Dennis Schroder: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist

OKC C Steven Adams: 15 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

HOU G Russell Westbrook: 34 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists

HOU G James Harden: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block

HOU C Clint Capela: 8 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Thunder's New Guard Spoils Otherwise Warm Westbrook Return

It was all about Westbrook before the tip:

But once the game started, the niceties stopped:

Westbrook led all scorers with 34 points, but the 31-year-old 2016-17 league MVP was overshadowed. Paul is whom Oklahoma City directly gained in the Westbrook trade, and Paul showed off just how much value he has brought to the Thunder while sharing a floor with Westbrook—much to LeBron James' amusement:

It seemed all in good fun, though, against Paul's former squad:

Paul has paired seamlessly in the Thunder's revamped backcourt with 21-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander, whom OKC landed along with Gallinari as part of the blockbuster trade that sent George to the Los Angeles Clippers. Both Gilgeous-Alexander and Gallinari flourished:

Schroder, part of OKC's three-pronged backcourt attack with Gilgeous-Alexander and Paul, led Thunder reserves with 16 points off the bench and made sure Westbrook knew about it:

The Thunder sent off Westbrook with one more ovation, made easier by the Rockets getting completely demolished:

Westbrook's goal with the Rockets is to capture what he couldn't in Oklahoma City: a title. That goal was not diminished by Thursday's result. Houston still has a much better shot at contending in the Western Conference than the Thunder. 

But the Thunder can't be written off just because Westbrook is gone. Oklahoma City's new pieces have collectively brought the energy Westbrook used to bring alone. 

James Harden Flops vs. Former Team 

While Paul and Westbrook went off, Harden fell into the shadows.

It has been seven-plus years since Harden was traded from the Thunder to Houston, making his return to Oklahoma City not as much of a storyline in wake of Westbrook's first time back. Even so, Harden surely did not want to lay an egg.

Harden failed to score at least 20 points for the first time since the regular-season opener on Oct. 24. It was the 30-year-old's lowest scoring performance of the season and fourth-worst outing in field goal percentage (29.4 percent from the field).

Thursday was clearly an anomaly. Harden is averaging 37.9 points, the NBA's leading scorer and by far the Rockets' leading scorer this season. The Rockets were on the second night of a back-to-back, and this one was all about Westbrook. 

"I think he's getting more comfortable with what we do and how he has to play alongside James," D’Antoni said of Westbrook, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. "... He and James have to play off each other and the other guys. I think he’s doing a great job. We’re a lot better than we were a month ago and I hope we’ll be better in a month."

Moving forward, and likely sooner than later, Harden will inevitably return to Houston's forefront as he continues to learn how to best play alongside Westbrook. 

What's Next? 

Both squads will return to action Saturday night. 

The Thunder will have a tall task when the Lakers visit, while the Rockets will return home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves.