Chris Paul breaks down while talking to reporters after OKC's Game 7 loss vs Rockets

Chris Paul and the OKC Thunder fell 3-4 to the Houston Rockets after a hard-fought battle in Game 7 on Wednesday (Thursday IST). While James Harden's clutch block propelled the Rockets to their 104-102 victory, Chris Paul was also involved in a small altercation with referee Scott Foster over a delay of game violation during the second quarter. Despite the Thunder's best efforts, the Rockets advanced to Round 2. While talking to reporters after the game, Paul broke down while talking about OKC's efforts this season and how they all expected to win this round. 

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Chris Paul post-game interview after the Thunder vs Rockets Game 7

"We didn't give a damn about anybody's predictions going into any series and any game, we expected to win," said Chris Paul, visibly emotional about their loss. The Thunder star added that it was tough to talk about their loss, which came after them fighting hard all year. Though many people doubted them, Paul explained their they did not doubt themselves.

Along with that, Paul even spoke about the 0.2% figure used to describe the Thunder's chances. "Nobody expected us to be here," Paul said. "0.2...0.2 percent, 0.2 percent."

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Before the playoffs began, SPN's Basketball Power Index stated that the Thunder have a 0.2 percent chance of making the playoffs. However, the Thunder entered the playoffs after defeating top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, even though their regular-season was shortened due to the COVID-19 crisis.

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Paul scored 19 points during Game 7, while Luguentz Dort scored team-high 30 points. This season, however, Paul averaged 17.6 points per game, while shooting 48.9% from the field. The Rockets and Thunder share a history, as both James and Russell Westbrook played for OKC, while Paul played for the Rockets.

Before the season began, Chris Paul was traded to the Thunder for Westbrook, who had spent his entire career in Oklahoma. Westbrook, Eric Gordan and Robert Covington stepped up for the Rockets during Game 7, while Harden struggled offensively the entire game. The Rockets will now face the Lakers in Round 2, while the Thunder will depart from the NBA bubble. 

NBA playoffs: James Harden interview after the Thunder vs Rockets Game 7

While Paul's post-game interview was emotional, Harden's interview caused fans to make memes and laugh about the Rockets star's honesty. "Offensively, I played like sh*t," Harden said, candid about his terrible shooting. Harden, who's averaging 34.3 points this season, went 4-of-15 from the ground. While he admitted that he kept doing everything he shouldn't have, it was Harden's clutch block that made sure their team advances to the Round 2. The Lakers vs Rockets Round 2 Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, September 4 at 9:00 PM EST (September 5, 6:30 AM IST). 

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(Image credits: AP)