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OKLAHOMA CITY -- With James Harden struggling, the Houston Rockets had to find their offense from other places in Sunday's Game 4 of their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That place was the bench as Nene scored 28 points and Eric Gordon and Lou Williams added 18 each as the Rockets beat the Thunder 113-109 at Chesapeake Energy Arena to take a 3-1 lead in the series.
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Houston has a chance to close out the series Tuesday at home in Game 5.
Harden was just 5 of 16 from the floor and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts.
Russell Westbrook had 35 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for the Thunder but Houston made a push both times Westbrook left the game and then made a final one late with Westbrook on the floor to pull out the win.
Westbrook was just 5 of 17 from the field in the second half.
When Westbrook sat late in the third quarter, the Thunder led by seven. When he re-entered less than three minutes into the fourth, Houston led.
Harden took 18 free throws in Game 3 but made it to the line for just seven in Game 4, making all but one.
In the final five minutes, the Rockets started fouling Andre Roberson after Roberson missed his first six free throws of the game -- and 11 of the series.
Roberson -- Oklahoma City's best defender -- made two free throws to pull the Thunder with one, 96-95, but it didn't keep Houston from targeting Roberson.
Roberson was just 2 of 12 from the line before Thunder coach Billy Donovan removed him.
At the halftime buzzer, Westbrook grabbed the rebound off of Harden's missed 3-pointer for his 10th rebound.
The board gave Westbrook a triple-double in the first half, making him just the second player in NBA history to record three consecutive playoff triple-doubles. Wilt Chamberlain did it in four consecutive games in 1967.
The Thunder controlled things early, leading by as many as 11 in the first quarter before Westbrook went to the bench.
With Westbrook out, the Rockets quickly got back in the game as they took advantage of Oklahoma City's offensive struggles and were able to get out in transition more effectively.
The Thunder were just 2 of 7 from the floor with three turnovers with Westbrook out.
NOTES: Rockets G Patrick Beverley was fined $25,000 Sunday for confronting a fan at Oklahoma City's Chesapeake Energy Arena following Friday's Game 2. Beverley landed at the fan's feet in the first half of that game while attempting a layup and had a brief verbal altercation with him at that time. Beverley came back to confront the fan after the game. ... Houston SG Eric Gordon was called for a technical foul in the second quarter after arguing for a foul after a made layup. ... The Western Conference semifinal between the winner of the Rockets-Thunder series and the winner of the Spurs-Grizzlies series will begin May 1, the NBA announced.
