The Houston Rockets are heading to the finals of the Western Conference for the first time in 18 years after overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the series to remove the Clippers.
Harden scored 31 points, Dwight Howard had 16 points and 15 rebounds and the Rockets never trailed in a 113-100 victory over the Clippers on Sunday, sending it to the conference finals for the first time since 1997.
It is the ninth time in NBA history that a team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the series to win a playoff series.
The Rockets overcame a deficit in the third quarter of 19 points in Game 6 on Thursday night to stay alive. It did not take any such heroics Sunday when they were up 17 after three and Howard opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point play to push it to 88-68.
” When you’re down 19 on the road, it is easy to give in and say, ‘Maybe next year,’ ” Harden said. ” But I think the injuries throughout the year such incidents to fight against adversity no matter what. We always find a way to fight, and another case was down 3-1. ”
Blake Griffin scored five points in a 9-0 run to cut the lead to eight points with less than 2 1/2 minutes left. Harden made two free throws after that, but a dunk by DeAndre Jordan came to the Clippers in eight again. This time, Trevor Ariza hit a 3 from the corner to ensure victory.
Howard was nervous until Ariza hit the final 3 and worried the Clippers would be unlikely to orchestrate a comeback this time.
All fans in the arena was given a red shirt emblazoned with the words ” Clutch City ” in yellow letters, bringing back the nickname 1994 and ’95 teams that won titles back to back. These rockets up to the nickname, winning their third game in a row to become the first team to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1 from the Phoenix Suns did it in 2006 against the Lakers.
After taking a two-game lead after four games for the Clippers they seemed destined to be heading to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. But they failed in all three possibilities to put Houston away and now are left to ponder its collapse as they head home early again.
” It’s disappointing, ” Griffin said. ” We were close, but close does not really count. Hardly account. We were 3-1 and did not put them away. We can not look to anyone but ourselves. ”
Los Angeles never led, but tied twice in the first 4 minutes. The Clippers insisted Saturday that they had achieved during Thursday’s loss, but seemed indifferent earlier this as Houston built the lead.
