Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from Game 3 thriller vs. Rockets
The Golden State Warriors fell just short of essentially ending their second-round series with the Houston Rockets, losing Game 3 126-121.
When Andre Iguodala hit a left corner 3-pointer to put the Golden State Warriors up two with under a minute left in Game 3, all hoped seemed lost for the Houston Rockets and the collective NBA fanbase.
The past is littered with games of similar circumstances, where the Dubs open the door only to twist the knife deeper into their opponent with a late-game clincher. Game 3 seemed all but secured after Iggy’s shot, but poor late-game execution by Golden State and a mismatch in energy allowed Houston to escape with a victory to avoid a 0-3 deficit in the series.
All five starters scored in double-figures for the Warriors, but it wasn’t enough to offset just seven points from their bench. Despite pouring in a game-high 46 points, Kevin Durant saw just three shot attempts in the overtime period, hitting two of them. Stephen Curry continued his struggles against the Rockets in this series with only 17 points and four assists.
James Harden put together a signature MVP-type performance, going toe-to-toe with KD in scoring 41 of his own along with nine rebounds and six assists. Eric Gordon exploded for a playoff career-high 30 points, hitting half of his 14 looks from beyond the arc.
Golden State is still very much in control of this second-round series up 2-1. Yet despite the proximity of the final score, all is not well for the Warriors. They have some serious issues that if not fixed could result in their demise, whether against Houston or another challenger.