Did The Rockets Just Go Up 3-2 On The Warriors?
SteemSports Presenter:@mateonav53
SteemSports Editor:@scottybuckets
Wow. It was another ugly game with a low score (relative to the teams), but the Houston Rockets came into Game 5 and ripped a potential 3-2 series out of the hands of the Golden State Warriors, 98-94. James Harden had a horrible game for the Rockets (19 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 5/21 from the field) and Chris Paul didn't play great until the fourth quarter (20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 6/19 from the field), but Eric Gordon (24 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 6/15) made some huge plays in crunch time and all throughout the game.
The Warriors elected to not play Andre Iguodala once again in Game 5. In the first quarter, Houston's defensive prowess carried over from the tail end of Game 4. They jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the first six minutes thanks to aggressive play at the rim. The Houston home crowd was definitely feisty in this fate-deciding game, and Golden State looked like they were affected by the energy. When calls didn't go their way, they would complain and just get hammered by the crowd. Kevin Durant took it upon himself to be the scorer on the floor in the waning minutes of the first. After the first twelve, our score sat at 17-23 with the Rockets up.
Steph Curry came out and got the first few buckets of the second quarter for Golden State while Durant sat. James Harden hadn't found his groove yet, as he was only 2/9 from the field. With 9 minutes remaining, Draymond Green tried to go for a monster dunk (probably trying to make up for his poster in Game 4) and got PACKED at the rim by Clint Capela. Naturally, it sent the Houston crowd ablaze with cheer.
The Rockets held about a ten point lead for most of the second, but Golden State rallied late to nearly even the score 42-45 with one minute to go. The Warriors got to the line and eventually were able to tie it up 45-45 heading into halftime. Kevin Durant had 18 at that point, most of which were picked up off isolation plays. The Rockets, on the other hand, were spreading the ball around pretty well. All seven players that received minutes had 5+ points (except Paul who had 2), but they were only shooting 36% while Golden State shot 43%. James Harden and Chris Paul were a combined 4/20 from the field and it was making Houston fans in the building anxious.
The third quarter began. You had to think that the Houston Rockets anticipated some serious firepower from the Warriors based on how they'd been this series - and their overall reputation. First play of the second half and Klay Thompson goes hard to the hole for an and-1 muscle bucket. Houston was responsive to their aggression and kept the score even through the top of the third. A great moment came when Chris Paul threw up a deep three while he was being hounded by Curry on the perimeter, and he somehow managed to sink it. As he ran back on defense he got into Curry's face and started shimmying, just like Curry's been doing to the Rockets all series after he gets hot. Curry just laughed it off as he trotted down the court.
The score stayed pretty much dead even in the latter half of the third quarter. Golden State was being pressured hard by the Rocket's defense. It felt like they were being backed into a corner. They made some bad turnovers and fell back into a Durant iso-ball scheme. The Rocket's two stars were still awful from the field. They shot a combined 7/27 as we got ready for the final quarter. Golden State somehow escaped with the lead as the clock expired 72-71.
Chris Paul came out of the gate in the fourth flinging bombs from three-point land and making really tough shots close to the basket. Houston fans were encouraged by that sight, but when he was scoring the ball wasn't really moving. Golden State quickly chopped Houston's lead down and gained the advantage, 80-79. The lead switched hands tons of times but neither team was shooting well enough to break the ice and initiate a blowout. James Harden and Chris Paul were incredibly cold from deep, but they started finding some success when they attacked the basket, which resulted in buckets and some much-needed trips to the free throw line too.
Nervous time kicked in at around the three-minute mark. Klay Thompson drew a foul at the three-point line to shoot three free throws, and he hit them all. Two 24-second violation possessions followed; one for the Warriors and one for the Rockets. It was tight defense but it was also indecisiveness on offense for both squads. Draymond Green got a putback to make it a one-point game 92-91 with a little less than two minutes left in the game. Then Houston got the ball back, and Eric Gordon hit a massive three-pointer to put the Rockets up 95-91 - but then Draymond Green struck back with a three of his own to keep it a one-point game, 94-95!
With 20 seconds to go and Warriors ball, Steph Curry drove right and threw up a floater while being guarded by two Rockets, and it bricked. Trevor Ariza secured the rebound and went to the line for free throws with ten seconds to go. He made the first but missed the second! Golden State had the ball down by two and a chance to win it or tie with 6.7 on the clock, score at 94-96. Steph Curry caught the inbounds pass at near full-court and passed it to Draymond Green, but Green fumbled the pass and turned it over! Eric Gordon gathered the ball and went to the line. He hit both free throws to make it a four-point game and put the contest out of reach. Houston prevailed in another heart-pounding nail-biter and took a 3-2 series lead against the Golden State Warriors with a 98-94 win.
There was a little more ball movement in Golden State's play, but they killed themselves with turnovers (18 compared to Houston's 12) and poor execution from their stars in the fourth quarter. The same can be said about their performance in Game 4 too! The team just looked nervous at the very end. Steph had that pass to Draymond that ended in a turnover, and in hindsight, he probably should've held onto it to take the shot himself. Kevin Durant also had the pass to Klay at the end of Game 4 which resulted in a bad shot. Draymond Green had several miscues in crunch time too (the fumbled pass, batting away a key rebound instead of grabbing it, passing the ball to Quinn Cook, of all people, for a late three that missed). We talked ourselves into the Warriors being this invulnerable team, but they've really shown their crunch-time flaws these last two games with Iggy out. You've got to think that there's no way they're letting him sit Game 6 with the season on the line.
The Rockets feel great after this win, but there has to be some creeping tension in the back of their minds. Chris Paul got hurt on one of the finals plays of the game after he jumped up for a floater in the lane and landed awkwardly on one leg. He came up clutching his hamstring area and couldn't even run back to the other end on defense, and it was a crucial play that he needed to be a part of(the Warriors didn't score on them though). He was huge in the fourth quarter for them. Nailing shots and commanding the team like a general, even bossing his co-star James Harden around.
His absence would totally kill Houston's spirits. I don't think they would have the personnel to steal one from Golden State in two tries with such high stakes. But it isn't impossible. If he has to sit Game 6 out then we are really going to see what James Harden and Houston's role players are made of. It'll be extremely difficult but not impossible. A rookie Magic Johnson once defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on the road led by Dr. J in the 1980 NBA Finals in Game 6 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sat out with an injury, and he did it while filling in at center. Can Harden step up in a historical way in Oracle Arena of all places? We will find out on Saturday when Game 6 takes place.
Thank you for following @steemsports and you can find me @mateonav53
Kevin Durant is clogging the Warriors well oiled machine at the moment. It's like since the playoffs have arrived and the pressure has mounted he has resorted back to what he is used to and that is isolation basketball. He refuses to pass the ball out of the low block even when the Rockets double team him.
Hopefully Andre Iguodala will be able to return Saturday, which should settle everyone down as the team can lean on his level headed decision making that earned him Finals MVP honors just three years ago.
I have the Warriors winning game 6 setting up a decisive game 7 that everyone had been hoping for since the Chris Paul trade was made.
Yea he is reverting to his old ways. And Kerr is cool with it. I remember in a post-game interview somebody brought up how he stagnates the flow and he just said something like "That's Kevin Durant, that's the guy you want shooting it". And I get that but that's not how they've played when they've been unbeatable. And yea I'm giving the Warriors this Game 6 victory too. I doubt Paul will play they may rest him back in Houston and bring him out for Game 7, praying he recovered a little.
Yeah Steve Kerr had to give that response to keep Durant confident. He knows that he is in his head too much at the moment and needs to start reacting instead of thinking while on the court.
They have already said that Chris Paul won't play in Game 6 and hamstring injuries are tough so it is quite possible he won't be able to go in Game 7. This should give the Warriors the upper hand at home, but with the confidence the Rockets have at the moment nothing is for sure.
Oh so they ruled Paul out? And yea hamstrings can really linger so Game 7 is totally up in the air for him...
Yea Harden's going to need a monumentally great performance. I mean he scored 60 that one game this year but he's in such a funk right now. Well, all they need is one game to advance and then they can get some brief rest. But chances of winning are slim as hell for Game 6 on the road. If they somehow manage to eliminate them without Paul I'm gonna shit myself.
Hey, @steemsports your post is amazing,thanks for share this game news.