Rockets return home for G5

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets have a chance to take their first lead in the Western Conference finals with a victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night (Friday Phl time).

To do that they'll need their superstars to step up again, with the pressure on James Harden and Chris Paul to deliver after their big performances in Game Three spurred Houston to the road victory that tied the best-ofseven series at 2-2.

"We're back to even," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We know what we have to do and see if we can do it against a great team."

After two blowout losses in this series, including an embarrassing 41-point rout in Game Three, the Rockets know they don't have any time to celebrate Wednesday's win. It was a victory that snapped Golden State's NBArecord 16-game home playoff winning streak.

"We have to get down to normal sea level real quick, because we've got a lot of work left," D'Antoni said. "We know it's not going to be easy, but also they know now it's not going to be easy. We're looking forward to it ... with the right type of fear and the right type of excitement."

It's a huge opportunity for Harden and Paul, who've both had their fair share of playoff disappointments in the past, but combined to score 57 points Tuesday's 9592 win that put the top-seeded Rockets back in the driver's seat in this series.