Warriors at Rockets
The first-round series between the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors is starting to get testy and controversial. The Rockets will try to build on their contested victory in Game 3 and even the series at two wins apiece when they host the Warriors in Game 4 on Sunday.
Houston pulled out a 97-96 victory on James Harden’s basket with 2.7 seconds remaining in Game 3 on Thursday, only to have the NBA come out on Friday and say the shot shouldn’t have counted because Harden initiated contact with Golden State forward Andre Iguodala before releasing the ball. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey fired off a pair of tweets during and after the game questioning the officiating and Warriors forward Draymond Green was given a retroactive flagrant foul 1 on Friday for his conduct in the final second of Game 3. Houston pulled out the one-point win after seldom-used Golden State guard Ian Clark had given his team the lead with 10 seconds remaining while absorbing the crunch-time minutes that usually go to superstar Stephen Curry, who missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle. Curry dressed for Game 3 but was ruled out by the coaching staff and coach Steve Kerr said Saturday that Curry will play in Game 4.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Curry tried to talk his way into the lineup in Game 3 before being overruled by the staff but went through practice on Friday and Saturday and declared himself ready to go. "It's not pain. It's like soreness that comes along with all that my
ankle's been through," Curry told reporters. "It's kind of to be expected
and I see it as, this is kind of my playoff thing. Everybody has
something they're dealing with in some way shape or form. It's stable ... no swelling or anything, so I can do everything I need to do." Green struggled to nine points, seven rebounds, seven assists and seven turnovers in Game 3 while fellow All-Star Klay Thompson went 0-of-7 from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS: Houston had no issues with Harden’s game-winner immediately following the win and suggested it was par for the course for the superstar. "The last shot was typical of what James does," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters in the post-game press conference. "The move we've seen before, the finish we've seen before, the hold of the ball we've seen before. You do get spoiled by it. At times, in these moments, the biggest of moments, you can't but help but appreciate it." Harden, who drew some criticism for not being aggressive enough after failing to go to the free-throw line in Game 1 and making only one trip to the line in the second half of Game 2, finished with 35 points, nine assists and eight rebounds in Game 3 while going 9-of-11 from the line.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Warriors F Marreese Speights scored a team-high 22 points in 18 minutes off the bench in Game 3.
2. Oft-maligned Houston C Dwight Howard recorded a double-double in each of the first three games of the series.
3. Golden State PG Shaun Livingston is averaging 16 points and 4.5 assists in two games while starting in place of Curry.