By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Warriors had the chance to finish the series against the Rockets on the road and did exactly that. Steph Curry, after being scoreless in the first half for the first time in his playoff career, scored 33 points and led Golden State to the 118-113 win (4-2) and the Western Conference Finals.
Klay Thompson added 27 points to help two-time defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for a franchise-record fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury sustained in the second half of their Game 5 victory.
Swedish forward Jonas Jerebko added two points and two assists for the winners. For the losing side, James Harden led Houston with 35 points, Chris Paul added 27 and Swiss big man Clint Capela had a double-double (10 p. 10 r.) which simply was not enough.
“This one’s going to leave a mark,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said. “This is not something you just get over. This one hurts. We played our best and they played their best, and we didn’t knock them out. It was like a heavyweight fight. We didn’t land the blows to at least get back to Golden State.”