Rockets blow away Warriors to level series
HOUSTON LED BY DOUBLE DIGITS FOR MOST OF MATCH
The Houston Rockets were the best team in the NBA in the regular season.
They played like it on Wednesday night, using a balanced scoring attack to rout the Golden State Warriors 127105 and even the Western Conference finals at one game apiece.
James Harden and Eric Gordon each scored 27 points on a night Houston had five players score 16 points or more.
“We can beat anybody, anywhere at any time playing the way we play,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.
The Rockets didn’t trail after the first quarter and led by double digits for most of the night. They head to Oakland, California for Game 3 on Sunday night feeling much better after rebounding from a deflating 119106 loss in the series opener.
PJ Tucker added a play-off career-high 22 and Trevor Ariza had 19 as both bounced back after struggling in Game 1. Tucker had just one point in that game and Ariza scored eight, but was limited on defence after collecting his fifth foul early in the third quarter.
“I never worry about my offence… it’s all on defence,” Tucker said.
Kevin Durant had 38 points after scoring 37 in the opener, but Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for just 24 points after the pair went for 46 in Game 1.
“They were desperate tonight and played like it, and we weren’t and it showed,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. The Warriors made three free throws to get within 11 early in the fourth quarter before the Rockets scored the next 11 points, with 3s from Gordon, Tucker and Harden to make it 111-89 with about 6 1/2 minutes to play. Durant made a basket after that, but Houston scored the next eight points to extend the lead to 119-91 with about five minutes left.
Houston led by as many as 19 in the first half and were up 64-50 at half-time. The Warriors cut it to 74-64 with five quick points from Durant, but the Rockets opened it back up to 89-72 when Gordon made an off-balance layup before crashing to the court while being fouled and made the free throw.
The Rockets were up by 16 to start the fourth quarter but the Warriors got within 98-86 with about 10 minutes left. Curry had five points in that span, including his first 3 after missing his first six attempts of the night.
Curry finished with 16 points and Thompson was 3 for 11 for his eight points.
They [Rockets] were desperate tonight and played like it, and we weren’t and it showed.” Steve Kerr » Golden State Warriors coach