James Harden and Dwight Howard delivered when it mattered most for the Houston Rockets, who averted playoff elimination with a 124-103 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game Five of the Western Conference semi-finals on Tuesday.
Harden posted 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, while Howard added 20 points and 15 rebounds as the Rockets forced a return trip to Los Angeles for Game Six on Thursday by thriving in the paint and playing with defensive vigour.
Los Angeles still leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 but if the Rockets can even the series on Thursday, Game Seven would be back in Houston on Sunday.
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The Rockets matched their Game Three total for points in the paint (36) by halftime and finished with 64 as they took full advantage of DeAndre Jordan's foul trouble, with the Clippers center picking up three by the break while logging just nine first-half minutes.
At Cleveland… In the day’s other game, the Cleveland Cavaliers moved one win away from the Eastern Conference final after beating Chicago 106-101 in Game Five of their semi-final series.
Lebron James finished with 38 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, Kyrie Irving scored 25 points, and Iman Shumpert grabbed a crucial offensive rebound in the final minute as Cleveland took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
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