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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 2 May 2019
Durant leads the way again, Warriors lead Rockets 2-0

16 points, five rebounds
and four assists.
Curry dislocated his left
middle finger in the first
quarter but X-rays were
negative and he returned
with it taped.
Curry missed his first four
3-point tries before hitting
late in the first and played
in foul trouble once more.
He picked up his fourth with
6:43 in the third on a reach
in, something he's been
working to stop doing.
Harden injured his eyes with
6:39 left in the first, grab-
bing at his face after he
and Green fought for a
loose rebound and Green's
left hand got Harden in the
face.
When Harden went to the
locker room with 6:27 left
and a towel over his left
eye for a cut, Green pat-
ted him on the back and
checked to make sure he
was OK. Harden returned
at the 7:09 mark of the sec-
ond.
"That's him. I didn't have
a doubt he was coming
back unless it was some-
thing catastrophic," coach
Mike D'Antoni said.
Both teams were more
composed when it came
to mouthing off at the ref-
erees.
Harden already had a his-
tory with official Scott Fos-
Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant (35) is defended by Houston Rockets' Eric Gordon during the first half of Game 2 of a second- ter, who worked Tuesday's
round NBA basketball playoff series in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, April 30, 2019. game. The reigning MVP
was fined $25,000 for call-
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — physical, both teams, and shooters. tive 3-pointers late in the ing Foster "rude and arro-
Kevin Durant and the Gold- they made the calls they Paul celebrated and third. Green had 15 points, gant" following a 121-111
en State Warriors brought needed to make. It was cheered when Harden 12 rebounds — three on loss at the Lakers on Feb. 21
it on both ends, kept their kind of disheartening for drew a foul on Durant in the offensive end over two in which Harden fouled out.
mouths shut and handled a game that I love since I the closing seconds of the possessions in the opening In Game 1, Paul was au-
business at home against was a child to see the talk third on a very such play. quarter — and seven as- tomatically ejected with
James Harden and the over the last two days was Harden converted three sists. 4.4 seconds left following
Rockets. nothing about basketball free throws to pull Houston Game 3 is Saturday in Hous- a second technical and
Now, the two-time defend- and everything about foul within 82-75 going into the ton. fined $35,000 by the NBA
ing champions are headed calls. Is that what this game final 12 minutes. Players on both sides stayed on Monday for making
to Houston with a 2-0 lead is coming to?" Harden scored seven poised with cool heads. contact with official Josh
in the Western Conference Harden got hit in both eyes straight Houston points dur- "I felt like both teams, both Tiven.
semifinal. early but was able to return ing one stretch midway coaches, just let the refs do D'Antoni emphasized
Durant scored 29 points and finished with 29 points through the fourth, includ- their jobs all night," Durant the scrutiny of officials
and established an early and seven rebounds ing a 3 at 7:25 that go the said. "I think the refs did an "shouldn't continue."
defensive tone against "I barely could see," said Rockets within 92-89. Ste- amazing job, the players Durant's run of five straight
Harden, leading the War- Harden, who was treated phen Curry connected for did a great job, and the performances scoring
riors past the Rockets 115- with eye drops. a key 3 at the 6:31 mark on coaches." at least 30 points was
109 on Tuesday night as the Boos regularly greeted the way to 20 points. Durant set a tone when snapped.
focus refreshingly returned both Harden and Chris Harden's eyes were still red took an early charge from With 201 points over his
to basketball after two Paul at deafening Oracle and bothering him post- Harden and blocked one previous five games, he
days of constant chatter Arena, where the Rockets game. of his shots as Houston became the fourth player
about the officiating. complained after a 104- "It's pretty blurry right now. committed five quick turn- in NBA history to score 200
"Tonight I think it was a 100 Game 1 defeat that Hopefully it gets better day overs that led to 10 points. or more in such a span —
great officiated game," the officials missed foul calls by day," Harden said. Andre Iguodala, who also joining LeBron James, Al-
Golden State's Draymond when the Warriors closed Klay Thompson scored 21 handled much of the load len Iverson and Michael
Green said. "They let us be out on Houston's 3-point points and hit consecu- defending Harden, added Jordan.q