Friday 22 May 2015 09:33, UK
The Golden State Warriors survived a stirring James Harden-inspired fightback to take command of the Western Conference Final with a 99-98 Game Two victory over the Houston Rockets.
Warriors lead 2-0 over the Rockets in the best-of-seven series, with the winners to take on the Eastern Conference champions in the NBA finals.
Harden was close to unstoppable as he scored 38 points and rallied his team from an eight-point deficit in the final two minutes but all his hard work was undone when he slipped and lost the ball as time expired, unable to get a shot away.
This season's MVP runner-up scored 10 of his team's final 12 points and added 10 rebounds and nine assists but again had to accept second billing to Golden State's Stephen Curry.
Curry finished with 33 points and teamed with backcourt mate Klay Thompson to swarm Harden on the final play, lifting the Warriors to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
"I knew Klay had (Harden) squared up, I wanted to protect (Harden's) left and I was able to stand him up," Curry said. "That's just determination. (Harden's) making great plays and it takes a total team effort to guard him."
Thompson added 13 points and Andrew Bogut put up 14 for the Warriors, who are two wins away from reaching their first NBA Finals since 1975.
"I'm kicking chairs (in the locker room after the game). It's frustrating to give the game away like that," Harden said. "We let two slip away. Now we're going home."
