NBA: Stephen Curry helps Golden State Warriors sink Houston Rockets, head back to Finals
Behind another extraordinary third quarter from Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors erased a 15-point deficit and claimed Game 7 of the Western Conference finals with a 101-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday at Toyota Center in Houston.
Curry scored 14 of his 27 points in the third period as the Warriors secured their fourth consecutive berth in the NBA Finals. "This is a situation we've never been in before ... to win a Game 7 on the road, keep our composure for the whole series," Curry said postgame on TNT. "... All those hurdles and obstacles, we got over them, so it's an unbelievable feeling, man. Winning a championship is hard, so this is a testament to that."
The championship series begins on Thursday in Oakland, Calif., with the Cleveland Cavaliers representing the Eastern Conference. The same two teams met in the previous three Finals, with Golden State winning the title in 2015 and 2017 and Cleveland emerging as the champ in 2016.
Golden State, after trailing by 11 points at the intermission, outscored the Rockets 33-15 in the third period. The Warriors posted a plus-68 scoring margin in the third quarters for the series. "The second half was unbelievable," Curry said. "This atmosphere is crazy."
The Rockets fashioned their halftime lead on effort, both defensively and on the glass, but when their offense collapsed in the third quarter, their verve dissipated. Houston shot 24 percent (6 of 25) in the third and while missing all 14 of its 3-point attempts. Curry, meanwhile, finished the frame 5 of 6 from the floor while draining 4 of 5 from beyond the arc as the Warriors shot their way to the lead.
The Rockets missed 27 consecutive 3-point attempts -- an NBA playoff record -- before PJ Tucker drilled a corner trey with 6:28 left that cut the deficit to 10 points. Houston went 7 of 44 from deep, 15.9 percent, while Golden State made 16 of 39 3-point attempts, 41 percent.
Kevin Durant totaled 34 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Warriors, and Klay Thompson chipped in 19 points despite early foul trouble. Curry also produced nine boards, 10 assists and four steals. James Harden posted 32 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Rockets, who again were without guard Chris Paul (right hamstring strain). Harden opened the game 4 of 5 from the floor but finished 12 of 29 for the game. Eric Gordon scored 23 points for Houston but shot 2 of 12 from 3-point range, slightly better than Harden's 2 of 13.
Here are highlights
Steph to Klay back door for the night's 1st bucket!#DubNation #NBAPlayoffs
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/qUK0GEg1kN
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
James Harden from deep... plus the foul! #Rockets 15 | #DubNation 9
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/jyC98U9wcK
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Eric Gordon handles & dishes in style!
8-0 @HoustonRockets surge on @NBAonTNT #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6xVIMlTKDN
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
PJ Tucker & Kevin Durant trade 3's!#Rockets 18 | #DubNation 14
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/6MahFAhpCI
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
The Beard in attack mode!
He's up to 12 PTS in the 1st on @NBAonTNT #Rockets pic.twitter.com/LG0GHq4B3W
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
James Harden off to a quick start with 14 1st Quarter points! #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/L0vaSCzztF
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Eric Gordon scoop and score!
9 PTS for EG on @NBAonTNT #Rockets 34 | #DubNation 23 pic.twitter.com/6rD71ehyJn
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
James Harden upstairs for the Clint Capela SLAM!
10-2 @HoustonRockets burst on @NBAonTNT #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/8NhLFLlIQ1
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Gerald Green & Eric Gordon back-to-back from DISTANCE! #Rockets 44 | #DubNation 33
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/CSP7hziZr5
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
James Harden picks it off & STUFFS IT HOME! #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/YTqr7aZWLx
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph feeds Klay Thompson for the corner triple!#DubNation
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/8dDgO51DCC
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Harden DIME Capela THROWDOWN! #Rockets
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/ohBCgji08f
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Eric Gordon takes it all the way to beat the buzzer! #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/NV1JedtI9U
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Clint Capela (12 PTS) & Eric Gordon (9 PTS) combine for 21 in the 2nd quarter! #Rockets #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/AoFfIwz6XO
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
James Harden gets to his left hand to open up the 2nd half!#Rockets #DubNation
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/VxrDz4jQYl
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
KD drills his 3rd triple of the contest!@warriors cut the lead to 5 on @NBAonTNT #DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/f4gDJfwsec
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Swaggy 3!
10-2 @warriors run in the 3rd on @NBAonTNT #DubNation 53 | #Rockets 58 pic.twitter.com/b1pXJia748
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph sets up Draymond for the runner!
11 PTS, 8 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL for Curry on @NBAonTNT #DubNation 58 | #Rockets 61 pic.twitter.com/cqVoeeE64a
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Jordan Bell drops it between his legs for the Steph trey! @warriors lead 69-63 on @NBAonTNT #DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/rwCEG6ndyF
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph is ON FIRE!
14 PTS in the 3rd quarter!#DubNation pic.twitter.com/1AmWTZyHsi
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
STEPH RANGE! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/7Jff45C9OB
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph Curry scores 11 straight points for the @warriors! #DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/YDR4XG1on5
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph finishes strong in the lane!#DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/cCTEkK6s7y
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Klay fakes and fires in transition!#DubNation 83 | #Rockets 73
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/3rrJcR3G2f
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Kevin Durant buries it from downtown!
26 for KD on @NBAonTNT #DubNation 89 | #Rockets 76 pic.twitter.com/ofPoQDjR2X
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph Curry stops and launches the 3-ball!#DubNation pic.twitter.com/tjmyDieYxh
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
KD rises up... got it!#DubNation 93 | #Rockets 83
3:54 left on @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/Eg1eafhzPS
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Steph KD BUCKET!
32 PTS for Durant in the contest!#DubNation 97 | #Rockets 85
3:15 to play in Game 7 on @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/ZqlJHZUB6q
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
That Klay dish pic.twitter.com/HCZ2ic7rLK
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
The @warriors are headed back to the #NBAFinals! pic.twitter.com/IF9J5HzcdX
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Draymond and Steph... headed to their fourth straight #NBAFinals with the @Warriors! #DubNation #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/JZgtWcW4G6
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Kevin Durant drops a game-high 34 PTS (21 in 2nd half) in Game 7 to help the @warriors earn a spot in the #NBAFinals
He joins Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry as the third GSW player to score 30 or more points in a Game 7 victory. #DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/o4F6rHIV4L
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
Stephen Curry knocks down 7 triples en route to 27 PTS, 10 AST, 9 REB, guiding the @warriors back to the #NBAFinals for a 4th straight season!#DubNation #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SDj5giilbe
— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2018
While Clint Capela (20 points, nine rebounds) and Tucker (14 points, 12 rebounds) delivered on the interior, the Rockets were undone by their ineffective perimeter options. Trevor Ariza finished 0 of 12, including 0 of 9 on 3-point tries, while Gerald Green made just 1 of 7 shots.
Harden, who gave the Rockets a 48-33 lead with a transition dunk at the 4:54 mark of the second quarter, fed Capela for an alley-oop layup for a 61-55 lead with 5:38 left in the third. The Warriors followed with a 17-2 run that included five 3-pointers, four from Curry, whose finger-roll with 3:29 left in the period was the lone basket from inside the arc during the decisive run.
(Inputs from Reuters)
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