Rockets snap Warriors’ 14-game road win streak
James Harden felt closer to normal after struggling in his first game back from a hamstring injury, and the Houston Rockets got a big game from Chris Paul to down the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
Paul scored 33 points with 11 rebounds, Harden bested Stephen Curry twice in the final seconds and the Rockets held off the Warriors 116-108 to snap their 14game road winning streak, The Associated Press reported.
The victory gives Houston a 2-1 series advantage over Golden State after the reigning NBA champions had won the series the previous three seasons.
“Obviously they’re a championship caliber team for the past four years ... and that’s what we’re trying to build our way up to,” Harden said.
Harden stepped back from Curry for a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to make it 114108 with 1:10 left, then blocked Curry’s three-point attempt after a timeout.
Harden finished with 22 points. Paul added two free throws with 28 seconds left.
Golden State lost away from home for the first time since November 22. The Warriors had won seven straight in Houston.
“It’s been a good streak, disappointing end to it,” coach Steve Kerr said. “But we didn’t deserve to win tonight. We played pretty poorly, did a lot of things to hurt ourselves and we’re playing a great team. Can’t get away with it.”
Houston coach Mike D’antoni raved about the performance of the 32-year-old Paul.
“The guy is a winner, he’s been a winner, he’s going to win,” D’antoni said.
Kevin Durant led Golden State with 26 points, Draymond Green had 21 and Curry added 19 on a night he went 5 of 15 on threepoint attempts and 6 of 20 overall. It was just the sixth time in his career that he’d attempted 20 or
more shots while making six or fewer.
“It was just one of those nights where I personally didn’t have the right vision on the floor,” he said. “So I’ve got to take that responsibility for that one. It was pretty bad.”
The Warriors were wrapping up a five-game road trip and had won the first four games to tie a franchise record for consecutive road wins. But they struggled from the outset Saturday and trailed by double digits for most of the first half.
It was Harden’s second game back after missing seven with a strained hamstring. He was in a much better rhythm than in his return Thursday night, when he scored a season-low 10 points. He had eight assists, two steals and two blocks Saturday.
The Rockets got the victory despite missing Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green, who were both serving the second game of a twogame suspension for an altercation with the Clippers. Clint Capela added 18 points for Houston on a night when top reserve Eric Gordon went 0 for 9 from threepoint range and finished with just six points. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has set his players the target of another 10 wins to guarantee a Premier League title triumph.
The leader responded to its 4-3 loss to Liverpool last week, the first in domestic competition this season, with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, goal.com reported.
That restored Citizens’ 12-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester United had briefly reduced it to nine with a 1-0 win away to Burnley.
Guardiola now wants 30 more points from City’s final 14 matches to make sure of a first league title since he came to England in 2016.
“Always after the defeat against Liverpool, you have a little bit of doubt how you would react – what would happen if you went two games in a row not winning,” he told a news conference. “That’s why it was so important.
“We need mathematically 10 victories to be champions. We are going to try to win game by game.”
Sergio Aguero scored all three goals in the win at the Etihad Stadium to take his tally for the season to 16 in just 19 league appearances.
It was a ruthless performance from the Argentina international striker, whose future at the club had come under scrutiny this term amid rumors of a falling-out with Guardiola and City’s pursuit of Alexis Sanchez.
With the Arsenal forward on the verge of joining Manchester United, Guardiola is more than happy to put his faith in Aguero – and Gabriel Jesus, who will be back from a knee injury next month – for the remainder of the campaign.
“We are not going to buy another striker,” he said. “We have him [Aguero] and, in two or three weeks, Gabriel is back.
“We are so happy for him. Before his first goal, he didn’t touch the ball. It is his gift. No words to describe him. I am so happy for him.
“I think how Sergio played his career here. His reaction doesn’t depend on the fact that one player comes or doesn’t come. In the last games, apart from Anfield, he scores goals.
“This chapter is over, finished, so we are going to think of the future.”