NBA: Murray leads Nuggets rally in 108-103 win over Lakers

Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic racked up another triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nuggets, but it was Murray who starred when it mattered most.

He made six of seven shots, including four of five from three-point range, playing all 12 minutes of a final period in which Jokic and fellow starters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon went scoreless.

Murray's exploits were enough for a Nuggets team that had kept it close but couldn't find a way past LeBron James and the Lakers through the first three periods at Denver's Ball Arena.

"The game would've been a lot easier if I made them the first half," said Murray, adding he was able to refocus after missing some open shots and was encouraged by his teammates to keep shooting.

"Just come out focused and knock them down," he said of his second-half goal. "Don't lose any confidence or anything like that. Just play my game and know they're going to fall if I keep shooting them."

James and Austin Reaves scored 22 points apiece for the Lakers and Japanese reserve forward Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant 21 points off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stem the tide once Murray got going.

Two days after the Nuggets used a dominant first quarter to take control on the way to a game-one victory, it was all tied up at the end of one period.

The Lakers pushed their lead to as many as 11 in the second quarter before coming up empty on 10 straight attempts -- a dry spell ended by James's driving finger-roll layup.

James, who also had nine rebounds and 10 assists, then found Hachimura for an alley-oop dunk that put the Lakers up 53-48 at halftime.

Anthony Davis made just four of 15 shots on the way to 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who nevertheless pushed the lead back to 11 midway through the third as James came up with a steal and raced for a dunk.

But again the Nuggets clawed back, pulling level at 74-74 on Murray's pull-up jumper with 2:10 left in the third, only for the Lakers to pull away again to lead by three, 79-76, going into the final period.

Murray the man 

With 9:21 left to play a Murray three-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead for the first time since the first quarter -- and they wouldn't fall behind again.

"I think he was amazing," Jokic said. "When it mattered the most, he made shots and he won us the game, basically."

Denver made seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter -- one less than the Lakers had in the entire contest. Not only did Murray make four of them, he had two steals that set up Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr. to hit from beyond the arc.

"Only one of them was uncontested," James said. "Two of Jamal's threes was right in the face of me and AD (Davis).

"The three-point line is what killed us in the fourth, but I didn't see many (defensive) breakdowns though."

Murray, who starred as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference finals in 2020 but missed the last two post-seasons after tearing a left knee ligament in April of 2021, said the Nuggets will need to show the same poise in Game 3 in Los Angeles on Saturday.

"The crowd's going to be into it. They're going to run, they're going to play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. We've got to be able to handle that."

James said the Lakers, who have won seven straight at home starting with the play-in tournament, can't afford to be complacent about a return to Crypto.com Arena.

"We can't go into any post-season game with comfort," he said. "You've got to be even more on edge when you go home."

The winner of the series will play either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Agence France-Presse

WATCH: Curry nails dagger 3 to send GSW to Finals

Check out Steph Curry's dagger three that effectively stopped Oklahoma City Thunder from mounting a comeback in Game 7 of their Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder were trying to cut the Warriors' seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter when Kevin Durant bricked his three-point attempt.

Curry then brought the ball down to Golden State's court. The two-time MVP used some of the clock before escaping Andre Roberson's defense and firing from beyond the arc.

His triple put the Warriors up by 10 points with 26.8 seconds to go and prevented the Thunder from recovering.

Golden State eventually bagged the win, 96-88, and a return trip to the NBA Finals.

All in all, Curry had 13-for-24 from the field and 7-for-12 from three-point area.

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Curry leads Warriors past Thunder in Game 7

The Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 96-88, in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday to set up a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA Championship.

Stephen Curry hit five second-half 3-pointers and scored 36 points in all for Golden State, who will host the opener of the best-of-seven NBA Finals on Thursday in Oakland.

The defending NBA champions, who rallied from a 3-1 series deficits, were down by 13 in the first half and eight early in the third quarter before gunning their way to a shot at becoming the NBA's first repeat winner since Miami in 2012 and 2013.

Golden State, who made seven 3-pointers in the first half, got 10 over the final 24 minutes to catch and pass the Thunder, the third-seeded team in the Western playoffs.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green bombed in consecutive threes to give the Warriors an 88-77 lead with 4:44 to go, but the Thunder would not go quietly.

Russell Westbrook scored on a drive and Kevin Durant scored seven consecutive points, and all of a sudden Oklahoma City were back within 90-86 with 1:40 to play.

However, Curry, fouled on a desperation 3-point attempt, cashed in three free throws, then iced Golden State's comeback with one final 3-pointer with 26.8 seconds left, opening a 10-point lead.

Curry finished 13-for-24 from the field and 7-for-12 from 3-point range on a night when the Warriors shot better from beyond the arc (45.9 percent) than overall (43.5 percent).

Curry also found time for eight assists.

Thompson hit six 3-pointers to account for almost all of his 21 points, helping Golden State outscore Oklahoma City 51-21 on long-distance shots.

Green added 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Warriors, who became just the 10th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

Durant led the Thunder with 27 points, hitting 10 of his 19 shots and three of his seven 3-point attempts. He also had seven rebounds.

Westbrook recorded a 19-point, 13-assist double-double, but he shot just 7-for-21.

Oklahoma City shot just 38.2 percent from the field and made only seven of its 27 3-point attempts.

Serge Ibaka added 16 points for the Thunder, who were seeking to become first team in NBA history to beat two 65-win teams in the same playoffs.

Oklahoma City eliminated the West's second seed, the San Antonio Spurs, in the second round.

While the Warriors were holding the Thunder to five field goals in the third quarter, Curry was heating up at the other end of the court.

Golden State trailed 48-42 at the half before using a 15-6 spurt to open the third quarter and go up 57-54, their first lead since the second minute of the game.

The 15 points were the result of five 3-pointers, including three by Curry, who had made only two the entire first half.

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Thompson, Curry rally Warriors to force game 7 with Thunder

WASHINGTON -- Klay Thompson and NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry sparked a stunning fourth-quarter rally and defending champion Golden State beat host Oklahoma City 108-101 to avoid NBA playoff elimination.

Thompson scored a career playoff high 41 points, including an NBA one-game playoff record 11 3-pointers in 18 attempts, and Curry added 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Warriors leveled the best-of-seven Western Conference final at three wins each.

"I'm so proud of everybody," Thompson said. "We were down almost the whole game. We never gave up and our resiliency got us through. We kept our composure. We knew if we didn't get it done we were going home. It was a great win."

The winner of Monday's game seven at Oakland will advance to the NBA Finals, facing the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers when the best-of-seven championship series opens Thursday.

"This group has been very resilient," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "They will bounce back quickly and go out and play."

Trailing 89-81 with nine minutes remaining, the Warriors closed the game with a 27-12 run -- 19-5 over the final seven minutes and 12-2 in the last three -- to deny the Thunder the clincher for a second consecutive game.

"This game was probably the hardest of our lives," Curry said. "We felt like we had control of the game. We just needed a stop or two. They got some garbage, the ball bouncing their way. We felt like we could turn the game around, and we did.

"We've got to keep it going at home. We've got a great opportunity."

Kevin Durant scored 29 points while Russell Westbrook added 28 to lead Oklahoma City, but crumbled in the tension-packed final moments, Durant making four of his five turnovers in the final 99 seconds and Westbrook giving up the ball on two key late possessions.

"We just didn't help each other enough in those situations," Donovan said. "They made big plays coming down the stretch and coming down the stretch we got a little stagnant."

The Warriors, who produced the best regular season mark in NBA history at 73-9 in this campaign, kept poise down the stretch and showed why they are the champions.

"That's just who they have been winning 73 games," Donovan said.

Thompson's amazing 3-point shooting in the final minutes stole the show, shocking teammates and foes alike, including Curry, who this year set an NBA record for 3-pointers in a season.

"It was unbelievable," Curry said. "He was taking shots in rhythm. That's when he's at his best. We needed every single one of them. We will again on Monday."

"In the fourth quarter, Klay Thompson had a great shooting performance," Donovan said. "Some of those shots were closely defended. Some of them were from way deep. They just knocked down big shots."

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Warriors shoot past Thunder, extend West finals

Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes bombed in three-pointers on consecutive possessions during an eight-point flurry that opened a 12-point lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Golden State Warriors held on from there to stay alive in the Western Conference finals with a 120-111 victory over the Oklahoma Thunder on Thursday night.

The victory trimmed Golden State's deficit in the best-of-seven to 3-2, with the series returning to Oklahoma City for another possible close-out game for the Thunder on Saturday night.

Game 7, if necessary, would be Monday in Oakland.

Stephen Curry poured in 31 points, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, as the Warriors overcame a 40-point explosion by Thunder star Kevin Durant to keep their hopes of a title repeat alive.

The Warriors led just 81-77 before backup guard Shaun Livingston opened the fourth period with a short jumper.

Iguodala and Barnes then nailed their three-pointers, opening an 89-77 advantage, Golden State's biggest lead of the game to that point.

The advantage reached 13, but power forward Serge Ibaka wouldn't let the Thunder go quietly. He swished a pair of three-pointers, and when Durant added a third, all of a sudden Golden State's lead was just 103-98 with still 4:34 to go.

Curry then responded with his biggest hoop of the night, a driving left-handed floater on which he was fouled. He converted the three-point play, pushing the lead to eight.

The Golden State defense took it from there, holding the Thunder without a field goal until a Durant dunk with 56.9 seconds left, by which point the Warriors had pulled away into a commanding 112-101 advantage.

Klay Thompson overcame 2-for-9 shooting on three-pointers to back Curry with 27 points for the Warriors, who are now 4-1 after losses in the playoffs.

The Warriors won despite making just nine of their 24 3-point attempts.

Andrew Bogut had 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, and Draymond Green had an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Warriors.

The Warriors shot 47.1 percent for the game to 42.9 percent for Oklahoma City. Golden State battled the Thunder even on the boards, 45-45.

Durant's 40 points came on 12-for-31 shooting. Like Curry, he did serious damage at the free-throw line, going 13-for-13.

Russell Westbrook backed Durant with 31 points to go with seven rebounds and a team-high eight assists.

Ibaka had 13 points and Steven Adams a team-high 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who were able to eliminated Dallas and San Antonio in earlier series at first opportunity.

The Thunder made 13 of their 30 3-point attempts, outscoring the Warriors 39-27 from beyond the arc.

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Thunder one win from Finals after Game 4 blowout

The Oklahoma City Thunder moved within one victory of the NBA Finals after beating the Golden State Warriors 118-94 in Game Four on Tuesday.

Russell Westbrook collected 36 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds as Oklahoma City grabbed a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals, thanks in large part to Westbrook's first triple-double of the postseason.

Defending champions Golden State will attempt to stay alive on Thursday at home in Game 5.

Thunder forward Kevin Durant scored 26 points on 8-of-24 shooting to go with 11 rebounds. Serge Ibaka and Andre Roberson each scored 17 points, while Steven Adams posted 11 points and seven boards.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 26 points. League MVP Stephen Curry was held to 19 points on 6-of-20 shooting, and he and Thompson combined to make just six of 21 3-point attempts. Harrison Barnes posted 11 points in the loss.

The Warriors lost back-to-back games for the first time in the postseason after never losing consecutive games in the regular season during their record-setting, 73-win campaign. They fell by a combined 52 points over the two games in Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Durant came out of the blocks on the attack. Instead of settling for jump shots and 3-pointers, he started the night driving the ball to the rim and forcing the Warriors to foul him.

Durant and Westbrook were a combined 12-for-12 from the line in the first half. As a team, the Warriors only attempted 17 free throws in the opening two quarters.

The Warriors, who fell behind by 14, got back into the game without their superstars leading the way. It was the play of Barnes and Festus Ezeli that helped Golden State close the gap to two midway through the second quarter.

However, the Thunder kept pounding the boards and winning the hustle points. That included Adams getting to a loose ball outside the 3-point arc and firing a fastball pass to Roberson under the goal for a layup.

The play was indicative of the type of night Oklahoma City was having as the Thunder raced out to a 72-53 halftime advantage.

The 19-point lead did not last long as Thompson began to tear apart the Thunder defense. After scoring just four points in the first half, he broke loose for 19 points in the third quarter and helped slice the lead down to seven.

Once again, though, Oklahoma City ended the quarter strong to take 12-point advantage. That would be as close as Golden State would get.

For the second game in a row, the Thunder did not let up and went for the kill in the fourth. The Warriors had no answer and pulled their starters with 3:15 left.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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Warriors' Green escapes ban, is fined for flagrant foul 2

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green escaped a possible one-game suspension on Monday when he was fined by the National Basketball Association for a flagrant foul that was upgraded from category 1 to 2.

Green faced the chance of being banned for Tuesday's Game Four of the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City after he had kicked Thunder center Steven Adams in the groin during Sunday's Game Three.

However, the league instead decided to fine Green $25,000 after reviewing the play and upgrading his foul.

"After a thorough investigation that included review of all available video angles and interviews with the players involved and the officials working the game, we have determined that Green's foul was unnecessary and excessive and warranted the upgrade and fine," Kiki VanDeWeghe, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a statement.

"During a game, players - at times - flail their legs in an attempt to draw a foul, but Green's actions in this case warranted an additional penalty."

The incident occurred with 5:57 left in the second quarter of the Thunder's 133-105 win over the defending NBA champion Warriors in Oklahoma City that put them 2-1 ahead in the best-of-seven series.

"The way I look it, it looks intentional to me," Thunder guard Russell Westbrook told reporters about Green's play after the game.

However, Warriors coach Steve Kerr described the play as "inadvertent", saying: "I was shocked they even looked at it. There is inadvertent contact all the time on plays.

"So that really surprised. I would think they would rescind it. This stuff happens all the time."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Larry Fine)

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Warriors worrying over Green after groin kick fells Adams

Draymond Green helped motivate Golden State to a record-breaking 73-game winning season but the struggling Warriors will be hoping their emotional forward can avoid suspension after he picked up a flagrant foul on Sunday.

Green kicked Oklahoma City's Steven Adams in the groin while attempting a shot in the second quarter of the 133-105 Western Conference finals Game Three loss as the defending NBA champions fell 2-1 behind to the Thunder in the best-of-seven series.

The painful kick left Adams doubled over on the floor and earned the flagrant call after officials looked at the instant replay. The NBA will now be expected to examine the play and determine whether it merits a ban for the All-Star Green.

The timing of the incident is ominous for the Warriors, coming on the same day the league suspended Cleveland guard Dahntay Jones for one game after he struck a Toronto player in their Eastern Conference finals showdown on Saturday.

"I don't think I'll get suspended," Green told reporters following the disastrous blowout loss in Oklahoma City.

"I followed through on the shot and my leg went up. I'm not trying to kick someone in the mid-section. I'm sure he wants to have kids one day I'm not trying to end that on the basketball court. I'm not sure how anyone can say I did that on purpose."

Green and Adams have engaged in a testy sequence of exchanges during this series and the Golden State forward also kneed the New Zealander in the groin during Game Two, prompting the Thunder center to say his opponent had "peaked with annoyingness" following the contest.

"I mean, it happened before. He's pretty accurate, that guy," Adams added.

NO INTENT

Green's combustible nature leaves him always close to boiling point and the 26-year-old is certainly playing on the edge this post-season.

He has four technical fouls in the playoffs, three shy of earning a suspension, along with two flagrant fouls. Two more flagrant-one calls against him, or a single flagrant-two ejection would also force him to sit out one game.

His reputation could factor into the NBA's review of his most recent misdemeanour.

"I would hope not," Warriors team mate Stephen Curry said when asked whether he felt Green would be sanctioned. "There was no intent in watching the replay. That's clear."

Green's performance with the ball against the Thunder is a more pressing concern for the Warriors, however. He finished 1-for-9 with just six points on Sunday as Golden State were completely outplayed.

The previous time Green had set foot on the Oklahoma City court, back in February, he missed all eight of his field goal attempts and became so frustrated that he had a shouting match with coach Steve Kerr at halftime.

Kerr defended him then and repeated the mantra on Sunday.

"Honestly, stuff like that happens all the time," Kerr said. "There's inadvertent contact on all plays. It's just part of the game."

(Editing by John O'Brien; Editing by John O'Brien)

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Warriors book first NBA finals berth in 40 years

OAKLAND - The Golden State Warriors are headed to the NBA finals for the first time in 40 years, eliminating the Houston Rockets on Wednesday to set up a title showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Warriors, the best team in the regular season with 67 victories and 15 defeats, pulled away late to beat the Rockets 104-90 and seal a 4-1 series victory in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.

They will battle Eastern Conference champions Cleveland, led by four-time NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James, in their first championship series since 1975 -- when the Warriors won their only title.

The Warriors host game one in Oakland on June 4.

Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry, playing with a protective sleeve on his right arm after a frightening fall in game five, led the Warriors with 26 points.

Forward Harrison Barnes played a key role, helping Golden State break open a close contest with four straight baskets to cap an 11-2 scoring run that turned a six-point lead into an 87-72 Warriors advantage with 7:07 left to play.

The Warriors defense harried Rockets star guard James Harden into a dismal two-for-11 shooting performance. He missed all three of his three-point attempts and finished with an NBA playoff record 13 turnovers.

Harden, who scored a critical 45 points as the Rockets fended off elimination in game four, finished with 14 points.

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WATCH: Curry suffers horrific fall in Game 4

NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry suffered a bad fall during Game 4 of their Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets.

Golden State's prized player was going for a block against the Rockets’ Trevor Ariza when he got caught in the air after a fake by Ariza.

Curry went tumbling down the floor, nearly landing on his head. The player was immediately brought to the locker room for treatment.

The Warriors said Curry suffered a head contusion, adding that he is unlikely to return for the rest of the game.

But the season MVP shrugged off the pain and returned in the third quarter.

Houston is leading the game 93-73 as of posting time.

Golden State is enjoying a 3-0 series lead against Houston.

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Curry injury scare overshadows Rockets win to avoid sweep

The Golden State Warriors survived a major injury scare to NBA MVP Stephen Curry but still lost the game as a pumped up Houston Rockets staved off playoff elimination with a 128-115 victory on Monday.

Curry went down in the second quarter of Game Four in the Western Conference Finals, falling hard on his upper back and neck after flipping over the back of Rockets forward Trevor Ariza, silencing a previously raucous Houston home crowd.

The star point guard remained on the floor below the basket for a few minutes to receive treatment before gently rising to his feet and walking slowly back to the locker room as he left the game with a head contusion.

However, Curry surprisingly returned with about six minutes left in the third after tests determined he had not suffered a concussion but he was unable to change the momentum of the game as the Rockets rode a monumental 45-point effort from James Harden to avoid the sweep.

Harden also pulled down nine rebounds, while center Dwight Howard notched 14 points and 12 boards as the Rockets ensured they would live to fight another day, pulling back to 3-1 down in the best-of-seven series.

Curry finished with 23 points, while guard Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 24.

Golden State, who will have their next chance to close out the series back in Oakland on Wednesday, have not been to the NBA finals since 1975.

No team has ever lost a best-of-seven playoff series after winning the first three games but the Rockets did improve to 4-0 while facing elimination this post-season, the latest victory added to the ones they strung together when trailing the Los Angeles Clippers 3-1 in the last round. (Reporting by Cameron French; Editing by John O'Brien)

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NBA MVP Curry disagrees with flopping fine

NEW YORK -- National Basketball Association (NBA) Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry was fined $5,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for "flopping," but the Golden State Warriors guard insisted he didn't fall to try to draw a foul.

Curry was fined for an incident in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 110-106 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday in game one of the Western Conference finals.

He had just drained a three-pointer that gave Golden State a 106-97 lead when he was bumped by Houston's Terrence Jones and fell to the court.

The league judged the fall violated rules against "flopping" -- falling to draw a foul.

"I don't agree with it," Curry said Wednesday. "I watched the play over and, transition play, so obviously balance is not very good in that situation."

Added Curry: "That play happens countless times. I wasn't even looking for the foul. I was just reacting to the contact."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr also disagreed with the fine -- not because Curry's move wasn't a flop, but because such falls, from minimal contact, are so common.

"Are we just choosing one time to do this?" Kerr said. "You can pick out flops every single game from half the guys on the floor."

The Warriors, who posted the best record in the NBA in the regular season, will try to extend their lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals on Thursday when they host the Rockets in game two.

The winners of the series will face the Eastern Conference champions in the NBA finals.

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Rockets complete stunning series comeback over Clippers

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets humbled the Los Angeles Clippers 113-100 in game seven of their NBA second round playoff series Sunday to reach their first Western Conference final since 1997.

James Harden tallied 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, while Dwight Howard finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Rockets, who became just the ninth team ever to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win in seven games.

"They had stretches where they did some things that got us off our game a little bit, but for the most part we stayed in attack mode," said Rockets coach Kevin McHale. "We just had a lot of guys play well."

It marked another playoff meltdown for the Clippers, who have never made it to the NBA semi-finals in franchise history and looked to be in command of this series after notching three wins in dominating fashion.

"So close? I don't even know what that means anymore," said Clippers point guard Chris Paul, who had 26 points and 10 assists.

"Like Ricky Bobby said," he went on, referencing a Will Ferrell Hollywood movie character, "if you're not first, you're last. Close isn't good enough."

The Rockets move on to face the top-seeded Golden State Warriors starting on Tuesday in Oakland.

They closed out the series three days after stealing game six in Los Angeles, where they rallied from a 19-point second-half deficit for a 119-107 victory.

This is the Clippers' first season under new ownership, but it has ended in familiar style. It's the third time in four years the Clippers have failed to get past the second round.

Trevor Ariza hit a three-pointer with 55 seconds left in the fourth that pushed the Rockets' lead to 11 and all but clinched the series victory.

"It's a long summer," said a disappointed Paul. "It's getting old, to tell you the truth. I have to get better. It starts with me."

The Rockets, after back-to-back first-round exits, finally made the NBA final-four again for the first time since '97 -- two years after the Hakeem Olajuwon-led teams won back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.

They will face a Golden State team who won all four meetings between the two during the regular season.

"This was a great test for us," said Howard. "I think we passed it, so it's time for the next one."

Blake Griffin had 27 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles and DeAndre Jordan added 16 points and 17 rebounds.

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Stunned Clippers need 'relentless' bounceback in Game 7

LOS ANGELES - All season, the Los Angeles Clippers have strived to live up to two mantras, "Be Relentless" and "Hard Core," and on Sunday in Houston they will need to deliver on both of them if their playoff run is to continue.

Seemingly on the brink of clinching the franchise's first Western Conference finals berth when leading the Rockets by 19 points in the second half on Thursday, the hosts suffered a late collapse that set up a decisive Game Seven.

The Clippers locker room was a picture of bewildered disappointment after the players had trooped off the Staples Center court, and many of their fans exited the stadium in total disbelief well before the final buzzer sounded.

"There's probably a plethora of emotions when something like this happens," said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whose next task will be to lift his players' spirits for Sunday's game.

"I felt bad for them, honestly, because they want it so bad, and sometimes you want stuff so bad that you can't get it because you're in your own way, and I thought we clearly got in our own way."

A year after their playoff hopes were rocked by a racism scandal that left previous owner Donald Sterling with a life ban from the NBA, the Clippers have been one of the most impressive teams in the postseason.

Spearheaded by All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, they fought back from 2-3 down to beat the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in a pulsating opening round before taking a commanding 3-1 lead over the Rockets.

However, the Clippers failed to close out their Western Conference semi-final series on Tuesday in Houston where they were pounded 124-103, then fell apart in Game Six when victory was beckoning as they were outscored 40-15 in the final quarter.

"We played so well for three quarters, and then ... when you give up 40 points, you've stopped playing, clearly," said Rivers. "What could have went wrong went wrong.

"Hopefully we can learn something from this and get them ready for Sunday. It's just going to take a little while."

The Rockets will aim to make the most of home court advantage as they bid to become only the ninth team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series, the most recent being the Phoenix Suns against the LA Lakers in 2006.

"We've been in this situation several times now, a couple times at home, once on the road," Griffin said of Sunday's must-win game. "We've got to come out and play. It's about who wants it more. I expect us to be ready."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)

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Jordan pushes Clippers closer to first Western final

Center DeAndre Jordan's double-double led the Los Angeles Clippers to the brink of a first Western Conference final with a 128-95 win over the Houston Rockets at the Staples Center on Sunday.

With 26 points and 17 rebounds, Jordan was one of six Los Angeles players in double figures as the Clippers took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series ahead of Game Five at the Toyota Center in Houston on Tuesday.

Forward Blake Griffin poured in 21 points and eight rebounds, shooting guard J.J. Redick scored 18 while point guard Chris Paul finished with 15 points and 12 assists.

Guard James Harden led Houston with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

The Clippers held a six-point advantage at halftime, but opened up the lead in third quarter with a 21-4 run for an 81-58 cushion after back-to-back lobs from Paul to Jordan midway through the quarter.

The Rockets continued with their ploy to intentionally send Jordan to the foul line. They started their strategy less than four minutes into the contest and continued to hack Jordan until the end of the second quarter.

Jordan made only 10 of 28 foul shot attempts in the first half and 14 of 34 overall.

His 28 first-half attempts were the most in a half of a playoff game for a Clippers player, breaking the record set by Doc Rivers, now the team's coach, against the Utah Jazz in 1992.

Jordan also broke his own mark of 17 attempts in a game, recorded in last year's first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.

(Editing by Tim Wharnsby)

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Spurs silence Thunder to lead series 3-2

Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw were electric off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs routed the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-89 in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday to move one win away from a berth in the NBA Finals.

Ginobili scored 19 points, Diaw added 13 and veteran forward Tim Duncan contributed a team-high 22, along with 12 rebounds, as the Spurs made the most of home court advantage to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

All-Star point guard Tony Parker weighed in with 12 points while Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green tallied 14 points apiece as top-seeded San Antonio had six players in double-figures.

The Spurs, aiming for a return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Miami Heat in seven games last year, outshot their opponents by 51 percent to 43 from the field.

League MVP Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 25 points and dynamic guard Russell Westbrook scored 21 but both players appeared to be a little fatigued after their brilliant efforts at home on Tuesday in their Game Four win.

The series shifts back to Oklahoma City for Game Six on Saturday with the eventual winners advancing to meet either the Heat or Indiana Pacers for the NBA title.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Thunder rumble past Spurs to level series

The Oklahoma City Thunder, superbly led by inspirational All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on their home court, outplayed the San Antonio Spurs 105-92 in Game Four of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday.

Dynamic guard Westbrook contributed a game-high 40 points and 10 assists while league MVP Durant weighed in with 31 points on 11-of-22 shooting as the second-seeded Thunder evened up the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

The top-seeded Spurs, aiming for a return to the NBA Finals after losing to the Miami Heat in five games last year, were outshot by 49 percent to 40 from the field.

Point guard Tony Parker and Boris Diaw, off the bench, led the way for San Antonio with 14 points each but veteran All-Star forward Tim Duncan was held to just nine points on three-of-eight shooting.

"I think I did all right," a smiling Westbrook told Turner Network Television in a courtside interview after a stellar display that also included five steals. "Coming out with a win is most important.

"I just try to come out and give maximum effort. My team mates ask that of me and that's what I was trying to do at both ends of the floor."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich applauded the performances produced by Westbrook and Durant, but felt his team had paid the price for not being aggressive enough.

"I thought they (Westbrook and Durant) did a great job," he said. "They are great players, and that's what they do. I was disappointed in our physicality."

FAST START

San Antonio made a fast start, Kawhi Leonard pouring in two three-pointers to help his team race ahead 8-0 but Westbrook sparked an Oklahoma City fightback and they ended the first quarter on a 13-2 run to lead 26-20.

Durant then put on a spectacular show for his fans with a dazzling array of shots from all around the court, totaling 15 points in the second quarter as the faster-paced Thunder stretched their advantage to 58-43 at halftime.

San Antonio's second unit went on a rousing 18-5 run late in the third quarter but Oklahoma City maintained overall control and led 83-67 heading into the fourth.

There was no way back from there for the Spurs, despite continued good play from their reserves, and they ended the night by slipping to their ninth straight loss to the Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

"I thought the last two games we played as a group," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said after his team rebounded from two demoralising road losses to level the series. "Russell's defensive toughness really set the tone in this game tonight."

The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game Five on Thursday with the eventual winners advancing to meet either the Heat or Indiana Pacers for the NBA title.

"We've got to make it travel," Westbrook said of the need for Oklahoma City to take their winning form at home on the road. "We've got to win one there if we want to win the series.

"We've got to go there with the same mindset as tonight and try to come up with a win."

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com