The 2019 NBA Playoffs are well on their way. The competition is tough on both sides of the bracket, but perhaps no series has more at stake than the Western Conference semifinal between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors are attempting to go for the three-peat as NBA champions, and they currently lead the Rockets 2-1 after outlasting the Rockets in seven games in last year’s Western Conference Finals. Game one was a great test for the Houston Rockets and MVP candidate James Harden who averaged 36.1 points per game in the 2018-19 NBA regular season, including two 61-point games and multiple 50-point games. Golden State had to find many ways to cover Harden who is one of the league’s best at drawing fouls.
In Game 1 Golden State got the hard fought win over the Rockets 104-100. Much controversy was going on with this game with so many uncalled fouls that seemed to be missed, particularly on defenders of James Harden. It is according to them that you cannot jump into the player or go in “his zone” when he is landing from a jump shot in order that he does not twist an ankle or anything even worse. Eric Gordon, Chris Paul, and James Harden combined for 79 out of the whole 100 of the Rockets points, which wasn’t enough at the end of the run to stop Kevin Durant’s 35 and the rest of the team’s 99 points.
Game two was even worse but still a close game. Golden State won again with Kevin Durant leading the team with 29 points. Stephen Curry with review from the refs it was ruled that he should’ve fouled out with 1:04 minutes left in the game. James Harden didn’t do much since he was poked in both of this eyes from someone’s finger.
The Rockets won Game 3 back in Houston and will host the Warriors tonight in Game 4 with a chance to even the series. Will Houston come back up or will the Warriors win the series and advance to another Western Conference Finals?
