Paul finds new gear in playoffs with Rockets

HOUSTON — Chris Paul is an ultra-intense competitor, often the most passionate player on the court.

But even for his Houston Rockets teammates, what they saw from him Tuesday night was on another level.

Paul scored a playoff career-high 41 points that included eight three-pointers, helping him to reach the conference finals for the first time as the Rockets eliminated the Utah Jazz 112-102 in Game 5.

“He said, ‘You get out of the way … I’m going to put us on my back,’” James Harden said. “You could see it in his eyes. He had that look in his eyes. If he has that look in his eyes … he’s a problem.”

The Rockets will meet Golden State after the Warriors closed out their series against the New Orleans Pelicans later Tuesday. Top-seeded Houston will host the opener Monday.

It will be Houston’s second trip to the Western Conference finals in four years and the first for Paul, a nine-time All-Star who is in his first season with Houston.

The Rockets were able to close out the series despite Harden, the front-runner for MVP, being under the weather. Coach Mike D’Antoni disclosed that Harden wasn’t feeling well Tuesday, and he looked a little worn down after the game. But when asked what was wrong with him, Harden said he was fine.

Paul said he was just trying to pick up the slack with Harden not feeling like himself.

“Whatever it took to win,” Paul said. “James was under the weather, so we were just trying to pick him up.”

Houston lost to the Warriors 4-1 in the Rockets’ most recent conference finals, in 2015.

They believe they’re much better suited to match up with Golden State this time, but they know it won’t be easy to dethrone the defending champions.

“We just advanced in another series, which is an accomplishment, but that’s not our main goal,” Trevor Ariza said. “We are still taking steps toward that, but this is an accomplishment.”

Harden loves that he has so many players around him who have contributed to the team’s success this season, and he thinks that will be valuable.

“In order to get where we want to go, we needed the right piece, and that’s what they’re here for,” he said. “I know if we give the effort that we know we can, it’s pretty tough to beat us.”