It’s a bad look for a team that could potentially be moving closer to the conference finals after tonight. “Whatever it took to win”. We’ve got eight more wins to get. CP3, in the postgame interview, said that Harden has been sick and is still recovering. He went to go get it. He put on a show, we’ll get into the logistics here in a little bit. He scored a career-playoff-high 41 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Some of it was circumstances, some of it bad luck, but the truth of it was that until Tuesday night, Chris Paul had never made it past the second round of the playoffs. “It’s about the process”.
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The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors, the top two teams in the regular season, punched their tickets Tuesday night to the West finals with victories in Game 5 for each of their series. On his day, he’s still capable of being the best point guard in the National Basketball Association.
Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) commits an offensive foul on Utah Jazz forward Jae Crowder (99) during the second quarter in game four of the second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena. “There’s no doubt about that”, Mitchell said.
Nobody wanted to win this game more than Paul as he finally sealed his first trip to the conference finals. But, Paul’s offense (18 in the fourth quarter) and the Rockets team defense was enough to get the Rockets out of the second round and on a likely collision course with the Golden State Warriors. Oh, and Paul hit the last eight three pointers he attempted.
Joe Ingles made a basket for Utah before Paul added another basket to make it 107-98. He had six blocks in Game 4 and was everything Houston could hope for.
With co-star James Harden under the weather, Paul had perhaps his best postseason performance in his 86th career playoff game. For much of the second quarter the Rockets seemed off-kilter, although you wouldn’t know it by the 33 points they racked up.
P.J. Tucker went off as well. But the Rockets didn’t take the lead for good until Gerald Green scored five-points to make the score 86-82 early in the quarter. Mitchell wore an Adidas flip flop on his bare left foot and he hugged Paul. He had to be helped to the bench and was quickly taken to the locker room with the help of two people.
Mitchell finished with 24 points and nine assists for the Jazz.
Anthony Davis scored 34 points and grabbed 19 rebounds for the Pelicans but 14 turnovers and a 19-point third quarter derailed New Orleans’ late comeback.
Paul’s ability to control games is a luxury the Rockets didn’t have a year ago, especially when Harden wasn’t firing.
“We just advanced in another series which is an accomplishment, but that’s not our main goal”, Trevor Ariza said. I’m definitely upset that it came out that way, but you can’t do anything about it.
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D’Antoni turned 67 on Tuesday and said this game was the best present he’s ever received.
