HARDEN RESCUES ROCKETS IN GAME 3
Harden makes late three in OT to seal Houston’s Game 3 win over Golden State
JAMES Harden made a 3-pointer to finish off the Golden State Warriors in overtime.
Eric Gordon helped the Rockets get to that point with the best playoff performance of his career.
Harden scored 41 points, and Houston outlasted the Warriors 126-121 on Saturday night, May 4, to cut the deficit in the Western Conference semifinals to 2-1.
A layup by P.J. Tucker put Houston up by three with about 2 minutes left and the Warriors missed shots on their next two possessions. That set up the 3-pointer by Harden with 49 seconds left that made it 124-118.
Kevin Durant made three free throws after that, but Harden added a layup to stretch the lead. Stephen Curry, who dislocated a finger in Game 2, missed a wide-open layup and Harden grabbed the rebound to secure the victory.
Gordon added a playoff career-high 30 points with a playoff-best seven 3-pointers.
“It’s all about bringing something to the table, offensively, defensively every single night to give yourself a chance to win,” he said.
Durant said Gordon was “very important” to Houston’s win.
“He kept them afloat for a while,” he said.
The Rockets withstood a 46-point performance from Durant and late surge by the Warriors to avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 is Monday night, May 6, in Houston.
Harden led the team despite recovering from injuries to both eyes he sustained in Game 2 when he was hit in the face by Draymond Green. He said they didn’t bother him on Saturday, but both eyes remained bloody red in spots. “That’s James. That’s what he does,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said.
Curry finished with 17 points on 7-for-23 shooting after missing two layups in overtime. He wouldn’t say if his injury was limiting him on Saturday night.
“I’ve just got to make those,” he said. “If I’m out there playing, I’ve got to produce and it just didn’t happen tonight.”