Warriors, Rockets in West finals duel
High-octane squads Rockets, Warriors forge conference finals duel
Stephen Curry and defending champion Golden State will face top-seeded Houston for a place in the NBA Finals after wrapping up their respective series on Tuesday. Curry led the Warriors to a 113-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, sealing the best-ofseven series, 4-1. The Rockets tripped the Utah Jazz, 112-102, to take the series, 4-1.
LOS ANGELES— Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors will face the Houston Rockets for a place in the NBA finals, a showdown between two heavy scoring squads that many saw coming.
The two Western Conference heavyweights—who finished No. 1 and No. 2 after the regular season—wrapped up their respective series Tuesday.
Curry led the scoring for the reigning NBA champion Warriors in a 113-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in Oakland, sealing the best-ofseven series, 4-1.
The Warriors will now travel to top-seeded Houston for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday.
“It’s going to be fun to be a part of,” Warriors guard Quinn Cook said. “Those guys, the best record in the league this year. They’re one of the best teams for a reason. We’re definitely going to have our hands full.”
The Rockets had earlier booked their place in the conference finals with a 112-102 win over the Utah Jazz to take the series, 4-1.
Chris Paul scored 41 points to lead Houston, scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter. The 33-year-old’s game-winning display left him contemplating his first career appearance in a Western Conference finals.
Rockets star James Harden, who was kept quiet with a relatively modest 18 points, paid tribute to Paul’s performance.
“Hewas unbelievable,” Harden said. “He went out there and took over the game. He put us all on his back in that fourth quarter and said ‘ Listen—I got this.’ That’s a big-time performance.
“He had a look in his eyes. And if he has that look in his eyes, he’s a problem.”
Paul meanwhile played down his personal contribution to the win, even though his 41 points marked a career high in a playoff game.
“It’s just fun,” Paul said. “It’s not about points, it’s about the process.”
While Houston will have home-court advantage after finishing the regular season on top of the Western Conference, the Warriors once again showed signs they are peaking at the right time.
The fit-again Curry played 37 minutes, and was heavily involved in a devastating burst of scoring in the third quarter which ultimately took the game away from the Pelicans.
Curry finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists while Kevin Durant had 24 points and Klay Thompson added 23 points.
“If he ( Curry) can play 37 minutes in a playoff game then I think he’s okay,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It feels like he’s back now.”
He had a look in his eyes. And if he has that look in his eyes, he’s a problem JAMES HARDEN Rockets star on Chris Paul