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Daily NBA Fix 4-26-14: Rockets Rescued By … Troy Daniels???

By Phil Watson

Apr 25, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets guard Troy Daniels (30) makes a three point basket over Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) with 12 seconds left in overtime to win game three of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets guard Troy Daniels (30) makes a three point basket over Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) with 12 seconds left in overtime to win game three of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 25, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) dunks over Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez (42) during the second quarter in game three of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) dunks over Portland Trail Blazers center Robin Lopez (42) during the second quarter in game three of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Houston Rockets 121, PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS 116, OT
Game 3, Western Conference First Round
The Trail Blazers haven’t won a playoff series in 14 years and nights like this might be part of the reason why.

With a chance to put the Rockets in an almost insurmountable 3-0 hole in the series, the Blazers let Houston off the hook after erasing a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Nicolas Batum got the game to overtime for Portland with a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left before the Blazers withstood two misses by James Harden in the last 26 seconds, sandwiched around a Damian Lillard miss from 20 feet.

Portland led 116-112 less than two minutes into the overtime on a basket by Lillard, but never scored again as the Rockets ended overtime on a 9-0 run, taking the lead for good on Troy Daniels’ 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining.

James Harden had 37 points for the Rockets (on 13-of-35 shooting), Dwight Howard added 24 points and 14 rebounds, Patrick Beverley tossed in 16 points and Chandler Parsons had 15. Houston made a lineup adjustment for Game 3, starting Omer Asik and Howard together in the frontcourt and moving Terrence Jones to the bench. Asik had seven points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

Lillard paced the Blazers with 30 points, Batum finished with 26 points and three steals, LaMarcus Aldridge was mortal with 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots after scoring 89 points in the first two games, and Mo Williams tossed in 17 points. Robin Lopez logged 11 points and three blocks.

Game 4 is Sunday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern.