Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from Game 3 win vs. Warriors
3. Eric Gordon is more than capable of providing an offensive spark when needed
Prior to being inserted into the Rockets starting lineup in mid-December, Eric Gordon appeared to be on the verge of producing arguably the worst shooting campaign of his 12-year career.
Now, Gordon appears to have recaptured his stroke once again, as the former Sixth Man who once struggled to overcome a cold shooting stretch appears to have caught fire for Houston at the most ideal time.
In a postseason affair where his team’s back was against the wall, Gordon provided the Rockets with an instant offensive spark by utilizing his upper body strength and handles to generate a slew of scoring chances inside including from beyond the arc. The former Indiana Hoosiers star connected on several shots to help kick start Houston’s offense into full swing on Saturday night.
Gordon, who is currently shooting a career-best 45.1 percent from 3-point range in the playoffs, erupted for 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field for the Rockets in the first half of Game 3.
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"“Gordy is tough, man,” Rockets guard Chris Paul said when taking the time to discuss Gordon’s stellar night with reporters following the outing. “I think sometimes we’ve got more confidence in Gordy than he’s got in himself…He has unlimited range. When you kick it to him five steps behind the 3-point line, that’s like a regular shot for him. “We just really appreciate him around here.”"
Although most people across the national spectrum will typically seek to view Harden and Chris Paul as Houston’s two primary threats to watch on offense, one could argue that the unsung combo guard has arguably been the most important piece to the Rockets attack this postseason.
Despite Harden’s clutch shots late in the contest, Gordon proved to be Houston’s most efficient man on the night, finishing the game as the only starter to shoot over 50 percent from the field with at least 10 shot attempts in Game 3.
Gordon also shot 7-for-14 from downtown and hit three big shots late that proved to help the Rockets weather the storm in a game they desperately needed.