Rockets extend win streak to 5
17 points in last five minutes settles duel against Leonard
Eventually, it had to come down to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
All that led to those closing minutes, from the Rockets’ rapid run to a 17-point lead, the Clippers’ run to go in front in the fourth quarter and all each team did to defend the other’s superstar, somehow the game belonged in Harden’s and Leonard’s hands.
Harden won it. He took the game and made it his own.
In a showdown of the league’s most prolific fourth-quarter scorers, Harden blasted the Clippers with 17 points in the final five minutes, driving the Rockets to a 102-93 victory Wednesday night for their’ fifth straight win and first against a team with a winning record.
“He was incredible tonight, especially against a defensively sound team
like they are, the guys they have on the floor that can defend,” Rockets guard Austin Rivers said. “To still be able to do that is remarkable.
“We had a lot of guys open. We just weren’t making shots. It just was one of those nights. I couldn’t make a shot. Russ (Westbrook) couldn’t make a shot. Ben (McLemore) couldn’t make a shot. James just took it over himself. Sometimes Superman has to put on his cape. That’s what he did.”
When Harden was through, he ripped the ball away from Leonard, capping a night in which he had 47 points with seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. By then, the Clippers had seen enough, anyway.
Patrick Beverley, who spent most of his 27 minutes defending Harden, had fouled out, adding a technical foul. Minutes later, Clippers coach Doc Rivers was hit with consecutive technical fouls, with his son Austin cheering on official Tony Brothers to call them and delighting in his father’s ejection when he did.
“I did,” Rivers said. “I knew it was coming. I’ve seen that look before, many times. Once he starts blinking his eyes really fast, that’s when I know. I just tried to tell Tony to get him. He got him. He was out of here. Doc’s got to keep his cool.
“He actually is sensitive about stuff like that. I love him. It was a really good moment. I did enjoy that a lot.”
More significant, however, was the way Harden had already rolled past a defense that in the five previous games had been the NBA’s best.
He started by beating Leonard, with doubleteam help, on a drive. He then pulled up from 32 feet. When Beverley reclaimed the assignment, there was no stopping him, as a frequent rival of Beverley noted.
“You talking about James, … 47,” Westbrook said. “Pat Bev trick y’all, man, like he playing defense. He don’t guard nobody, man. He’s just running around, doing nothing. You seen what happened. All that commotion; 47.
“It’s good. He plays hard. Playing hard is part of the game. I play hard every night as well as he does. That’s it. He plays hard. That’s good. Tonight, James took advantage of him and got what he wanted.”
While Harden took over, Leonard did not score again. Averaging a league-best 9.8 points in the fourth quarter, one more than Harden had averaged this season, he had already scored eight fourth-quarter points, with his four-point play giving the Clippers their largest and only lead, 84-80, with 6:52 left.
Leonard, with P.J. Tucker shadowing him for 39 of his 41 minutes, finished with 26 points, but on just 10 of 24 shooting. Rivers helped hold Lou Williams to 8 of 22 shooting. Beverley would miss all seven of his 3pointers.
The Rockets just needed to scrape together some late-game scoring.
Harden had scored 22 first-half points but just eight in the second half, making 2 of 7 shots. The
Rockets had made 3 of 15 3s in the second half. Center Clint Capela, who had 20 rebounds for a second consecutive game, left the game after hitting his head while drawing a charge, to be examined for a possible concussion.
All that was a cue for Harden to go on a run.
Until then, there was little to indicate the way Harden would take over, with one obvious exception.
“To me, there was three years of watching him play,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I don’t care what they do. He’s going to get his points.
“I think it was smart for them to (double team). Ultimately, he finds a way.”