HOUSTON _ The Warriors anticipated the loud boos. The Warriors anticipated the added intensity. The Warriors anticipated the strategic adjustments.
Unlike it has played out for most of the year anytime they encountered adversity away from home, the Warriors folded.
The Warriors walked out with a 126-121 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals on Saturday. The Rockets reduced the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. And though the Warriors still control the series, they squandered a chance to take a 3-0 series lead and force the Houston Rockets to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit.
The reasons?
Kevin Durant (46 points on 14-of-31 shooting) offered a stark contrast to the Warriors' other normally prolific scorers in Stephen Curry (17 points on 7-of-23 shooting) and Klay Thompson (16 points on 6-of-16 shooting). James Harden almost matched Durant's production with 41 points on 14-of-32 shooting. While it seemed fitting for Durant to open the fourth quarter with the team's first 10 points, it seemed fitting that Curry couldn't finish at the rim on the final play.
After the Warriors continuously stuffed him at the rim in the first two games, Houston center Clint Capela bounced back with 13 points, 11 rebounds and one memorable stuff on Andre Iguodala in the second quarter. Though the Warriors boast their strength in numbers, their second-quarter lineup opened the frame missing all but one of their next 14 shots.
Durant nearly helped the Warriors overcome all of those issues. Durant set up Andre Iguodala for a 3 to give the Warriors a 112-110 lead with 45.9 seconds left. The Warriors held Houston without a field goal in the final 5:10. Then Thompson forced a jump ball on Paul with the game tied at 112 with 1.5 seconds left. In overtime, Durant made a layup and three foul shots.
Even with Iguodala (16 points) and Draymond Green (19 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) complementing Durant, that was not enough. Not with the Warriors' starting backcourt struggling with their shot. Not with Harden maintaining his prolific play. Not with Kevon Looney committing three early turnovers. Not with the Warriors failing to match the same energy they showed in Games 1 and 2.
The Warriors will seek to rectify all of this in Game 4 on Monday still with a command of the series. But now, the Warriors have given the Rockets some renewed confidence in making this a competitive series.
