NBA Western Conference playoffs
Huston Rockets 92-101 Golden State Warriors
Toyota Center, Huston
Wednesday, 29-05-2018
Warriors win series 4-3
Golden State Warriors produced a stunning second half display to overturn a 15 point deficit and win 101-92 at the Toyota Center in Huston.
Trailing 54-43 at halftime, Golden State looked dead. But Stephen Curry exploded for 14 of his 27 points in the third quarter, helping Golden State to a 33-15 advantage in the period that saw the Warriors flip an 11-point deficit into a seven-point advantage, a lead the Warriors wouldn’t relinquish thanks in part to Kevin Durant scoring 11 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth.
Golden State played better in the second half, but it was helped by the Rockets attempting to break the backboards at Toyota Center.
Houston finished the game 7 for 44 from three-point range, including a remarkable stretch of 27 missed three-pointers in a row. The Rockets made exactly one of their final 30 three-points attempts for the game.
James Harden was gassed trying to pull off a solo scoring act with Paul on the bench. Harden managed a team unmatched 32 points on the night with Eric Gordon 23 and Clint Capela 20.
The Warriors looked done and dusted but Stephen Curry, who is still the only player to make seven 3-pointers in a Game 7 in NBA Playoff history, scored 19 points in the second half, with 14 coming in a third quarter the Warriors won 33-15 that sparked Golden State to the win.
“Basketball is a 48-minute game and no matter how badly we played, how many shots we missed, there’s always time to turn it around, said Curry after the game.
“The second half was unbelievable.
We’re happy to be back in the finals.
“This is a situation we’ve never been in before: to win a game seven on the road and keep our composure for the whole series, Curry added.
“All those hurdles and obstacles, we got over them, so it’s an unbelievable feeling.
Winning a championship is hard so this is a testament to that.
Curry scored 27 points for Warriors on the night, securing a 4-3 series victory having won the last two games.
Golden State Warriors will play Cleveland Cavaliers who defeated Boston Celtics 4-3 in the Eastern Conference finals, in the NBA finals for the fourth successive year.
The Warriors won in 2015 and 2017, while the Cavs claimed the 2016 title.
Game on of the NBA finals start on Friday morning with Warriors at home in the first two games.
How the Warriors defeated Huston:
Game 1. Huston 106 – 119 GSW
Game 2. Huston 127 – 105 GSW
Game 3. GSW 126 – 85 Huston
Game 4. GSW 92-94 Huston
Game 5. Huston 98-94 GSW
Game 6. GSW 115– 86 Huston
Game 7. Huston 92 – 101 GSW
The NBA Finals Schedule:
Game 1. GSW vs Cleveland
Game 2. GSW vs Cleveland
Game 3. Cleveland vs GSW
Game 4. Cleveland vs GSW
Game 5. GSW vs Cleveland
Game 6. Cleveland vs GSW
Game 7. GSW vs Cleveland
