James Harden hit a contested three-pointer with 2.7 seconds left in overtime and finished with his second triple-double of the week and fifth straight 40-point game, rallying the Houston Rockets past the Golden State Warriors, 135-134, in a thriller between Western Conference powers on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory.
Kevin Durant’s long three-pointer missed as the buzzer sounded in what will go down as one of the best games this regular season—a rematch of the seven-game Western Conference finals won by two-time defending champion Golden State.
Stephen Curry put the Warriors ahead with 23.1 seconds remaining in OT on the way to 35 points a basket that shouldn’t have counted because Durant was clearly out of bounds when he flung the ball back in.
Harden, however, had one more improbable, acrobatic moment still in him. He released the ball with at least four hands in his face for the game-winner.
The reigning Most Valuable Player finished with 44 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, while Clint Capela contributed 29 points and 21 rebounds for Houston.
Harden also hit three-pointers at the 3:52 and 2:02 marks of OT in a game featuring dazzling displays on both ends by some of the game’s biggest stars.
Klay Thompson made a go-ahead lay-up with 40.6 seconds left in the extra period, then Harden tied it at 132 on a pair of free throws with 33.5 seconds left.
Durant added 26 points and seven rebounds.
Harden also had a triple-double on Monday against Memphis of 43 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists but he was disappointed with nine turnovers he thought gave the Grizzlies too many transition opportunities.
Including his 50-point game last December 13 against the Lakers, Harden has scored at least 30 in 11 straight.
Warriors Coach Steve Kerr’s simple message about defending Harden, who went to the line 27 times on Monday: “Don’t foul him!”
Harden shot five free throws in the first quarter on Thursday and nine in all.
His jumper with 5:37 left in regulation cut Golden State’s lead to 112-111. He also got the Rockets close by knocking down two three-pointers and assisting on another basket in the final 1:26 of the third as Houston cut its deficit to 98-92 going into the final quarter.
Thompson scored 26 points and hit consecutive three-pointers late in the first half. After struggling to find his stroke from deep, Thompson is 10 for 17 on three-pointers the past three games.
With his first three at the seven-minute mark of the opening period, Durant became the 32nd player in National Basketball Association history to reach 22,000 points.
Falling backward as he released the ball over Harden, Durant swished a three with 59.2 seconds left in the first half.
The cold-shooting Rockets fell behind 70-53 at halftime. Houston was just 6 of 23 from long range, 3 for 9 by Harden, while the Warriors shot 62.8 percent.
DeMar DeRozan had his first career triple-double with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, and San Antonio welcomed back Kawhi Leonard with thunderous jeers in a125-107 victory over Toronto.
Leonard scored 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, but the anger the Spurs’ fans showered on him seemed to impact the MVP candidate. Leonard had to take a step back at the free-throw line and compose himself amid chants of “Traitor! Traitor!” and “Quitter! Quitter!” from the capacity crowd that adored him during his seven seasons in San Antonio.
Leonard forced his way out of San Antonio in a trade that yielded DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl from Toronto for Leonard and Danny Green.
Leonard was booed heavily from the moment he walked onto the court for warmup. The boos continued during a pregame video tribute and player introductions, whenever he touched the ball and as he walked off the court following the lopsided loss.
Jamal Murray scored 17 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and Denver beat Sacramento for its fourth straight win, 117-113.
Image credits: AP