Houston Rockets soar past Golden State, 95-92

Team with best record in NBA takes care of business on the road to stun the defending champion Warriors

By Arnie Leshin 

The No.1 seeded Houston Rockets looked at it two ways.

Still stunned from the 41-point embarrassment in game three, having to return Tuesday night to Golden State’s hostel, imposing home court, perhaps heading home down 1-3 in games, and on the verge of ending a super season at home, they had to get down to business.

The only way to do so was to turn back the NBA’s defending champions, win game four to deadlock the West finals at two games apiece,  have a better flight home, and follow perhaps in the championship steps of the Houston Astros.

While the packed house expected to see its team extend its home court win streak to 22 games, Houston handled itself like a soaring rocket .

“We played like a team,” said Rockets’ MVP candidate James Harden, “and when we do that, we are good.”

Better than good in coming away with a highlight reel 95-92 win before the stunned yellow-clad Warrior fans. Houston trailed early, trailed late, but down the stretch it held the upper hand.

It scored the key baskets behind its swarming aggressive defense while Golden State missed its last nine shots, seven from the 3-poiint area, and not even a buzzer-shot heave from the corner by sharpshooting leading scorer  Stephen Curry reached the basket, and the Rockets celebrated in a classy way.

Veteran guard Chris Paul tossed the ball into the air and his Houston teammates joined him with hugs, as now they have the best-of-three format in their favor with two home games.

The Warriors, who went a record 16-1 in last year’s playoffs, even got a break after it was apparent the clock had run down and the visitors in front 94-92.

But a personal foul was called against Golden State’s Shawn Livington prior to the buzzer, giving Paul two foul shots and resetting the clock to 0:5. He missed the first, keeping the lead at two, but made the second and the Warriors quickly called a time out. They got the ball in their end, flung it around to Curry in the deep corner, and he fell short of the basket.

Curry was red-hot at times, tossing in 3s while his team itself had several cold spells. He scored a team-high 28 points, one more than teammate Kevin Duran, who also brought down a dozen rebounds.

But Harden played a serious game of team ball, often finding a teammate inside, making a steal, boxing out under the boards, and was the game’s leading scorer with 30 clutch points. And Paul, a stellar veteran guard who previously spent his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, added 27 points in directing the offense on a tender foot.

“A whole lot of treatment,” he said. “It’s as good as its going to be right now.”

Curry, in turn, credited the play of Houston, but also realized that this turned the series into a tight one after three blow outs, two by Golden State.

“Now we’ve got to fight and really understand that this is a true playoff-type experience. They (the Rockets) didn’t have the best record for nothing.”

The Warriors had a 49-41 rebound advantage, but in the final minutes it was Harden and company controlling the boards, swiping the ball, while the home side played unlike it is known for, and Houston didn’t falter.

“We just keep playing,” Paul said.

Down 53-46 at halftime, the Warriors called on Curry. He came out and hit a 3 from the top, scored 17 points in the third quarter, and his 3 from 29-feet out with 5:43 remaining in the third, got Golden State to within 62-60, and then knocked down another long shot to bring his team the lead.

It then upped the lead to nine before the Rockets made a late third quarter run to trail by three with a quarter to go. Then it was nip-and-tuck.

Houston went in front by five points, then by three with 1:27 left, but Curry and Klay Thompson each missed contested 3-pointers. The Warriors had another chance with 42.5 left following a Rockets’ shot-clock violation. But Curry missed a driving layup, and when Draymond Green was fouled by Paul, he converted only charity shot.

Houston had gone ahead 85-84 with 6:03 remaining on a Trevor Ariza’s 3 from the baseline after a beautiful bounce pass from Paul. With 3:30 left, the Rockets took a 91-86 lead on free throws by Eric Gordon, and Curry then hit on a 3 shortly after.

But the fired-up visitors would not surrender the lead and now head for Thursday night’s game five. But early on, they didn’t look sharp, missing their first eight tries, committing a pair of turnovers, and with head coach Mike D’Antoni calling a timeout with his team trailing 12-0 at the 7:06 mark of the opening quarter.

But Houston hung in there, leading twice in the second quarter by tossing in 34 points compared to 19 in the first. For the rest of the way, it played like a team taking care of business.

“I’m sure we will look at the film and kick ourselves,” said Golden State head coach Steve Kerr. “Look, this is a great team we’re playing, they won 65 games for a reason.”

Now Houston has a shot to add to the Astros baseball championship, so stay tuned.