BRIAN T. SMITH ON ACCEPTING CHALLENGE.
A Rockets triumph at home and a season-series clincher give Warriors reason to fear threat to their title in spring
This is why Chris Paul came to Houston. This is what James Harden can do. The Rockets have a Warriors problem? More like Golden State might finally have a real threat in the West.
We’re a long, long way from late May. Saturday night at Toyota Center — national TV; the reigning NBA champion visiting the Western Conference’s second-best team — was ultimately just Game 44 of 82 for Mike D’Antoni’s team.
But for the second time this season, the Rockets were the stronger, tougher, sharper … and better team.
Paul and Harden combined for 55 points, 15 assists, 13 rebounds and 11 made 3-pointers. The Rockets (32-12) held Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to a combined 9-of-31 from the floor. And on a buzzing night when the home team led by 17 points, the Rockets finished what they started and took the season series 2-1 from Golden State.
If only these two can meet for a sevengame series that sets up the NBA Finals. And if only the Rockets — playing without suspended Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green — can fight like this when it counts during the playoff heat.
“They’re still the champions. You’ve got to knock them out,” said D’Antoni, after 116-108 Rockets was celebrated with a Harden and Paul embrace at midcourt. “Tonight we did. But that’s tonight.”
Paul came here for so much more. Saturday reminded how special CP3 can be.
Simply put, Paul a winner
Kevin Durant put up 26 points for the other side. Ezekiel Elliott sat courtside with Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta. A nationwide audience tuned in just as the NFL is beginning to fade, set to watch the superpower Warriors (37-10) win their 15th consecutive game on the road.
Then Paul poured in 16 points in the first half, 17 in the second, pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds and finished as the best player on the court.
“It’s just good to win,” said Paul, who treated the victory like it was just another regular-season win.
From 104-100 Golden State with six minutes, 47 seconds remaining to a 2417 advantage in the fourth quarter in the Rockets’ favor. With Harden (22 points) coming and going during his second game back after a hamstring injury, the Rockets’ other leader ran the court like much more was at stake than just Game 44 in late January.
“(Paul is) a winner. He’s been a winner,” D’Antoni said. “And now it’s just, how much is he going to win? … He’s been a winner his whole career and I don’t see that changing.”
The Warriors own the best record in the NBA and lead the Rockets by 3½ games in the West. Home-court advantage could mean everything in a seven-game series — the Rockets dropped the first two contests during the 2014-15 conference finals at Oracle Arena by five combined points, caving under the pressure and constant noise — and Golden State is pro basketball’s version of the Patriots.
“They control (the top seed in the West),” said Paul, 17-0 when he plays with Clint Capela and Harden. “All we control is who we play and how we play.”
But belief has to start somewhere, and the Rockets — who ended a seven-game home losing streak to the Warriors — were the team that wanted it more.
Paul cooked. Harden burned. Ryan Anderson pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, while the Rockets destroyed Golden State 46-33 on the boards.
It was 16-7 early, 40-28 after one quarter and 59-44 late in the second, as the Rockets captured loose balls, forced errant passes and took it to the NBA champs for the first 24 minutes.
Defense rises to the occasion
The Warriors are the Warriors, though. And by the end of the first half, a 17-point lead was cut to seven when Thompson sank a right-corner 3.
A no-hesitation 3 from Curry pulled Golden State to within 78-77. And even with Paul unleashing one of his best games of the season, the Rockets’ lead was down to one point again entering the fourth. But there was a game-changing 3 from glue guy P.J. Tucker.
“It’s a man’s game and he stepped up,” D’Antoni said.
The Rockets’ defense also kicked in at the perfect time. And it was smooth Golden State throwing possessions away, while Paul danced with the ball and Harden waited for the dagger. Right-wing 3, 1:10 to go, Rockets 114-108. The second-best in the West played, fought and finished like the NBA’s best.
“They’re a championship-caliber team for the past four years. … That’s what we’re trying to build our way up to,” Harden said.
The title belongs to Golden State and every road toward the trophy runs through The Bay. But after three-plus seasons of having a Warriors problem, these Rockets feel like a threat in the West.