The Oklahoma City Thunder have rocked the Golden State Warriors in game one of the NBA Western Conference Finals.
In a game of ebbs and flows, hot and cold shooting and brutal defence, the Thunder stunned the almost 20,000 fans inside the Warriors' Oracle Arena on Monday with a 108-102 victory.
The Warriors seemed to have control when they took a 13-point halftime lead, but the Thunder's two All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant dominated the second half.
"Composure," Westbrook, explaining the key to their comeback victory, said.
"We've been there before. It's a game of two halves."
Westbrook had just three points in the first half, but had 19 in the third quarter and finished with 27 points, 12 assists, seven steals and six rebounds.
Durant had 26 points and 10 rebounds.
The usually lethal Warriors, led by sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, went cold in the fourth quarter, scoring just 14 points to the Thunder's 23.
The Warriors hit just six of 23 field goals and one of 10 three-pointers in the final quarter.
"Way too many quick shots," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Adding to the Warriors' rough night was an injury to Australian centre Andrew Bogut who appeared to aggravate a groin strain that threatened to force him to miss the game.
In the third quarter, Bogut was moving backwards while attempting to defend Durant in the key when he pulled up sore.
He lasted another two minutes, but spent the rest of the game on the bench.
The Australasian big-man battle between Bogut and the Thunder's New Zealander Steven Adams did live up to the hype before the Aussie's injury.
They were physical under the basket and dished out punishment to their smaller opponents, with Bogut called for a flagrant foul against Westbrook and Adams targetting the Warriors' NBA MVP Stephen Curry with screens.
It appeared Adams might not finish the game when he was forced to stuff cotton wool in a nostril to stop a bleeding nose and hurt an already sprained right thumb.
Adams kept going and had 16 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots from 36 minutes on the court while Bogut did not attempt a basket, had three rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots from 17 minutes.
Curry had 26 points from 9-22 shooting and Thompson had 25 points from 11-25.
Game two is on Wednesday in Oakland.
Matthew Dellavedova's Cleveland Cavaliers play game one of the Eastern Conference Finals in Cleveland against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.
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