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SPORTS Thursday 24 May 2018
Harden scores 30, Rockets even series at 2 games apiece

By JANIE McCAULEY The Rockets missed their first
Associated Press eight field-goal tries and
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — committed two turnovers
Chris Paul pounded the before Harden's layup with
ball down demonstratively 6:42 left in the first. D'Antoni
on Stephen Curry's home called timeout at the 7:06
court in sheer delight. mark of the first with his
And maybe he sent a little team trailing 12-0.
message: These Rockets "We just kept playing," Paul
are for real and very much said.
remain in the champion- TIP-INS
ship chase. Rockets: The Rockets were
Houston handled the de- outrebounded 49-41. ...
fending champions in their Houston scored just 19
hostile, imposing home first-quarter points, its fifth
arena and sustained the straight period failing to
latest second-half flurry score more than 24 before
by Curry, getting 30 points scoring 34 in the second.
from James Harden and ... After saying the pres-
another 27 from Paul to sure was on the Warriors,
even the Western Confer- D'Antoni cracked pre-
ence finals at two games game, "That really worked
apiece with a 95-92 victory out well, didn't it?"
Tuesday night. Warriors: Curry picked up
Curry scored 28 points and his third foul at the 5:06
Kevin Durant added 27 mark of the second quar-
points and 12 rebounds but ter and took a seat and
the Warriors missed their fi- Golden State was limited
nal five shots from the floor to 18 points in the period.
and their NBA-record post- He pumped his right arm
season winning streak at so hard after a basket in
home ended at 16 games. the first he nearly hit of-
The Rockets shook off a Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) celebrates next to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen ficial Mike Callahan. ...
Curry (30) during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA basketball Western Conference Finals in
41-point embarrassment in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, May 22, 2018. Curry made his signature
Game 3, a 12-0 deficit to Associated Press pregame tunnel shot on
start Tuesday and another the fourth try. ... Golden
big run by the Warriors in perience," Curry said. moments later. His 3-pointer from 29 feet State dropped to 32-7 in
the third, then won it with Golden State got the ball Green wound up with 11 out at the 5:43 mark of the postseason since 2015
defense down the stretch. with 1:27 to play down 94- points, 13 rebounds and the third got Golden State when holding opponents
"We're a team. We're really 91 and Thompson and Cur- eight assists while going back within 62-60 then he to fewer than 100 points. ...
good as a team," Harden ry each missed contested at it with Paul all night in knocked down another Looney started for just the
said. 3-pointers. Game 4 — the first nail-biter moments later on the War- ninth time in his three-year
Paul rebounded Klay The Warriors got another so far in a series that had riors' next possession for the NBA career.
Thompson's miss just before chance with 42.5 seconds featured only lopsided re- lead. IGUODALA OUT
the final buzzer sounded for left following Houston's sults of 13 points or more. Then, another from the Without 2015 NBA Finals
the first time and celebrat- shot-clock violation. Curry "I'm sure we'll look at the film baseline before a driving MVP Iguodala, the Warriors
ed in front of a stunned, missed a driving layup and and kick ourselves," War- layup to the left. were down one of their top
yellow-clad home crowd. A Draymond Green pulled riors coach Steve Kerr said. Much-improved Warriors defenders and playmakers.
replay review ensued and it down the offensive re- "Look, this is a great team big man Kevon Looney, Iguodala's status for Game
was determined Shaun Liv- bound and was fouled by we're playing. They won 65 who shed 30 pounds last 5 was still unclear. Since
ingston fouled Paul before Paul, but Green converted games for a reason." offseason, earned his first 2014-15, Golden State is
the game ended, so Paul only one free throw. Curry knocked down three career postseason start 14-4 in postseason games
made a free throw with 0.5 "I thought this is the high- straight 3-pointers during a in place of injured Andre started by Iguodala.
seconds left. est level we've ever played key third-quarter sequence Iguodala and had four "If it was close, he would
And he did it all playing on defensively, without a in which he scored 11 con- points and six rebounds. play," Kerr said. "He's injured
a tender foot. doubt," Rockets coach secutive points before Iguodala, who banged his so he's not playing. So we'll
"A whole lot of treatment," Mike D'Antoni said, "be- Thompson's 3. left knee during the fourth see what happens in the
Paul said. "It's as good as it's cause we're talking about Down 53-46 at halftime two quarter of Sunday's win, next couple of days."
going to be right now." the best offensive team days after a franchise play- was upgraded from doubt- TECHNICAL STANDS
Curry couldn't get off a final ever." off-record 41-point victory ful to questionable after an The Warriors spoke to the
attempt before the buzzer. The Rockets went ahead in Sunday's 126-85 win, Cur- MRI exam earlier Tuesday NBA about Green's dou-
Game 5 is Thursday night 85-84 with 6:03 remaining ry shined in the second half on the knee revealed no ble-technical in Game 3
at Houston. Golden State, on Trevor Ariza's 3-pointer once more. He scored 17 in structural damage. with Trevor Ariza issued at
which went a record 16-1 from the baseline after a all during the third-quarter The Warriors got another the 6:49 mark of the fourth
on the way to last year's beautiful bounce pass from spurt. scare when Thompson quarter when Ariza shoved
title, will play its longest the opposite corner by Curry came out and hit a 3 briefly went to the locker Green as they traded
playoff round after closing Paul. from the top and seemed room in the second quarter words.
out its first two series in five Golden State trailed 91-86 on his way to another with a left knee strain then "They're not rescinding it,"
games. with 3:30 left following a spectacular finish until the returned and hit baseline Kerr said. "Those conversa-
"Now we've got to fight pair of free throws by Eric late misses on a night both 3-pointers from both sides tions are always private, so
and really understand that Gordon, then Curry con- Western Conference pow- and wound up with 10 we respect their decision
this is a true playoff-type ex- verted a three-point play ers shot just 39 percent. points on 4-for-13 shooting. and move on."q