A triple with 49 seconds to go by the end of the extension of James Harden sentenced the victory of the Houston Rockets 126-121 against the Golden State Warriors, also closing the gap (2-1) in the semifinals of the Western Conference of the NBA.
In a stellar duel between Harden and Kevin Durant, the Texans guard led the triumph of his team with 41 points, nine rebounds and six assists, neutralizing the spectacular evening of the Warriors forward, who left crestfallen despite his 46 so many.
It’s going to be a fight. Every minute, every game, you have to be strong. You have to have fun. I have closed the game, that’s what I do, that’s my job, “said” La Barba “after the contest.
In a totally even game from start to finish, the Warriors started better, achieving their maximum difference of nine units in the opening bars, but the locals never lowered their arms and, with a turn of 20 at the end of the first quarter and at the beginning of the second, they got ahead.
Chris Paul showed his most distributing side, center Clint Capela closed his zone with solvency and Eric Gordon was the ideal squire that the Rockets needed, finishing with 30 points and 7/14 in triples.
Thus, Houston signed an income of nine at halftime (58-49) but the reigning champions refused to give up, returning again and again in the result thanks to an unstoppable Durant and a Draymond Green who sealed a triple-double of 19 points , 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
With the game closed, Andre Iguodala scored a triple with 45 seconds to go to put the Warriors up two (112-110) but Harden, from the personnel line, sent the game into extra time.
– “It would have been a robbery” –
There, the guard invented a long triple with less than a minute and, with 26 seconds ahead, certified the triumph of the Rockets, who are still alive after having yielded the first two and having fallen last year in the finals. West in seven games against the Warriors.
Golden State missed more efficiency from their outside duo, made up of Stephen Curry (7/23 at launch) and Klay Thompson (6/16).
I’ve missed too many shots that I normally hit. I have to contribute more to my team, “said Curry, who denied that his finger injury was the reason for his performance.
The visiting bank was also far from its best level, contributing only seven goals.
“Although we have had opportunities to win, that would have been a steal since they have dominated us in all sectors, in rebounds, in shooting … We have come back thanks to another brilliant performance by Kevin Durant but we have lacked attention to detail and I did not like that at all, “lamented Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Game 4 will be played on Monday, again in Houston. AFP