Harden scores 30, Rockets even series at 2 games apiece
Oit with Paul all night in Game 4 — the first nailbiter so far in a series that had featured only lopsided results of 13 points or more.
“I’m sure we’ll look at the film and kick ourselves,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Look, this is a great team we’re playing. They won 65 games for a reason.”
Curry knocked down three straight 3-pointers during a key third-quarter sequence in which he scored 11 consecutive points before Thompson’s 3.
Down 53-46 at halftime two days after a franchise playoff-record 41-point victory in Sunday’s 126-85 win, Curry shined in the second half once more. He scored 17 in all during the third-quarter spurt.
Curry came out and hit a 3 from the top and seemed on his way to another spectacular finish until the late misses on a night both Western Conference powers shot just 39 percent.
He loves the 3rd
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— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2018
His 3-pointer from 29 feet out at the 5:43 mark of the third got Golden State back within 62-60 then he knocked down another moments later on the Warriors’ next possession for the lead. Then, another from the baseline before a driving layup to the left.
Much-improved Warriors big man Kevon Looney, who shed 30 pounds last offseason, earned his first career postseason start in place of injured Andre Iguodala and had four points and six rebounds.
Iguodala, who banged his left knee during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win, was upgraded from doubtful to questionable after an MRI exam earlier Tuesday on the knee revealed no structural damage.
The Warriors got another scare when Thompson briefly went to the locker room in the second quarter with a left knee strain then returned and hit baseline 3-pointers from both sides and wound up with 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting.
The Rockets missed their first eight field-goal tries and committed two turnovers before Harden’s layup with 6:42 left in the first. D’Antoni called timeout at the 7:06 mark of the first with his team trailing 12-0.
“We just kept playing,” Paul said.
TIP-INS
Rockets: The Rockets were outrebounded 49-41. ... Houston scored just 19 first-quarter points, its fifth straight period failing to score more than 24 before scoring 34 in the second. ... After saying the pressure was on the Warriors, D’Antoni cracked pregame, “That really worked out well, didn’t it?”
Warriors: Curry picked up his third foul at the 5:06 mark of the second quarter and took a seat and Golden State was limited to 18 points in the period. He pumped his right arm so hard after a basket in the first he nearly hit official Mike Callahan. ... Curry made his signature pregame tunnel shot on the fourth try . ... Golden State dropped to 32-7 in the postseason since 2015 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 points . ... Looney started for just the ninth time in his three-year NBA career.
IGUODALA OUT Without 2015 NBA Finals MVP Iguodala, the Warriors were down one of their top defenders and playmakers.
Iguodala’s status for Game 5 was still unclear. Since 2014-15, Golden State is 14-4 in postseason games started by Iguodala.
“If it was close, he would play,” Kerr said. “He’s injured so he’s not playing. So we’ll see what happens in the next couple of days.”
TECHNICAL STANDS The Warriors spoke to the NBA about Green’s double-technical in Game 3 with Trevor Ariza issued at the 6:49 mark of the fourth quarter when Ariza shoved Green as they traded words.
“They’re not rescinding it,” Kerr said. “Those conversations are always private, so we respect their decision and move on.”