The Houston Rockets came through to save elimination despite not having Jeremy Lin, defeating the Thunder 105-103 at home to win one game of the series and stay alive as things shift back to OKC. The team won without Lin and the Thunder finally fell after losing Russell Westbrook to a serious injury to his knee that required surgery and now he is out for the year.
The Hawks defeated the Pacers at home to come back in that series, while the Brooklyn Nets stayed alive against the Chicago Bulls and now have the chance to take control as things move forward after winning 110-91 in emphatic fashion with some help from Deron Williams and Gerald Wallace.
The Brooklyn Nets are not everyone's idea of an underdog, they have no LeBron James or Kobe Bryant and have never won an NBA title. And even if they had they would still remain in the lengthy shadow of their cross-city rivals, the New York Knicks. A year ago the Nets were one of the worst teams in the NBA, struggling to win games and failing to fill seats at their old arena in New Jersey, which they shared with the National Hockey League's Devils.
After winning the first game in the best-of-seven series, the Nets lost the next three and were suddenly facing the prospect of early elimination. Brook Lopez, the 7ft (2.13m) center, scored 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while guard Deron Williams chipped in with 23 points and 10 assists as the Nets piled on 33 points in the final quarter. The Nets finished the regular season with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, earning home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, where they were paired with the Chicago Bulls.
