The Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors will meet for game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in Houston. The series is currently tied at 2-2, after the Houston Rockets stunned the Warriors in game 4, winning 95-92. Both teams have now won a game on the other team’s home floor.
This highly anticipated series finally delivered a close game on Tuesday night. The Rockets were in danger of falling into a 3-1 series deficit, but rallied late to end the Warriors 16 game home winning streak. Houston has now taken back home court advantage and will get to play 2 of the final 3 games in Houston. The Houston Rockets are -1 over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
Without Iguodala, Warriors Struggle
The Warriors were without starter Andre Iguodala in game 4, and his absence was felt throughout the game. Steve Kerr inserted Kevon Looney into the starting lineup on Tuesday night and it threw off the Warriors’ rotations for the entire game. The Warriors need Iguodala back in game 5 to shore up their defense and slow down the Rockets high powered offense.
Stephen Curry had another great game in the game 4 loss, and he appears to be back into MVP form. Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, but missed two crucial three point attempts late in the game. With Curry and Kevin Durant knocking down shots for the Warriors, they have a great chance to win game 5 on the road in Houston.
Rockets Show Toughness in Game 4
The Rockets have always been able to score points, but in game 4 it was their defense that won the game for them. Houston held the defending champs to just 39.3% field goal shooting for the game, and played terrific defense down the stretch to hold off a late rally from the Warriors. If Houston continues to play at a high level defensively, they might be the favorites to win the series.
James Harden and Chris Paul continue to lead the Rockets on the offensive end. The duo combined for 57 points in the game 4 victory with Harden scoring 30, and Paul pitching in 27. The two all-star guards continue to seek out matchups that they can take advantage of and in game 4 they found them.
Golden State Gets Hot, Beats Rockets
Houston will now be looking to take command of this series with a game 5 victory at home. The Rockets had the league’s best home court record during the regular season, and they have a terrific shot of taking the series lead. If the Rockets continue to focus on the defensive end, they will make life difficult on the explosive Warriors.
Golden State hopes that Iguodala can return for game 5, but must prepare to play another game without the former Finals MVP. Curry and Durant are good enough to lead the Warriors to a win, but they could use some help from Klay Thompson. Thompson finished with just 10 points in the game 4 loss. Look for the Warriors to get hot from deep in game 5 and steal game 5 on the road to take a 3-2 series lead. Take the Golden State Warriors _1 over the Houston Rockets in Game 5 on Thursday.
