The seventh game of the western conference finals was as schizophrenic as the first six, but this time--and perhaps earlier-- it was likely due to the attrition of fatigue. The Rockets set a record for 3 point futility--they missed 27 in a row. It's still amazing to me that teams shoot as many as 27 threes. As in game 6, they were energetic and sharp in the first half and fell apart in the second. The Warriors had their monster third quarter, and kept the pressure on in the fourth.
The key to the Rockets taking this game--though nobody would ever say it--was to get at least one of the key Warriors in foul trouble early. The likely candidates (because of their defensive responsibilities) were Green and Thompson. They succeeded with Thompson, who was guarding Harden. They limited him to 31 minutes and 19 points. But a lot of those points--especially 3s--came at big moments in the game.
However they didn't succeed otherwise: KD, Steph Curry and Green all played exactly 44 minutes. Green was a defensive beast, and chipped in 10 points. Steph went off in the third, finished with a loud 27. Kevin Durant redeemed himself with a quiet but lethal 34.
James Harden took a ton of shots, missed three quarters of a ton and ended up with 34, not many of them in the second half. Chris Paul missed his second game in a row with the hamstring injury he suffered at the end of game 5. Andre Iguodala was also out again for the Warriors.
By purist standards, it's amazing that either team won. Golden State started with what their coach called "the worst quarter I've ever seen this team play" and Houston had a historically cold shooting night. Which is why it was reasonably close at 101-92.
But credit the Warriors: it's the first game 7 they've ever won on the road, and their defense kept the mighty Rockets offense below 100 points most of the series.
So the Warriors meet the Cavs, beginning on Thursday at Golden State. It should not be a close series, but this Warrior's team has become unpredictable. They could lose the first game on sheer soreness and exhaustion, although LeBron is likely fatigued as well.
Anyway, it's the series that nobody wanted to see again: the pre-season favorites that as late as last week, didn't look like they would be meeting again, the fourth consecutive time for the championship. I'm willing to bet that no game in the finals will eclipse the ratings for the game played tonight in Houston. But it's LeBron and Steph and KD, so game on.
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