The Golden State Warriors took a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets after a 99-98 win on Thursday night.
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Stephen Curry ended the game with 33 points and six assists while James Harden had 38 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as well as three steals.
However, despite stealing the stat line of the night, the Rockets guard didn’t do enough to win the game for his team as he spurned the chance to win it on the last possession after losing control of the ball as he was doubled team with seconds remaining.
As a result, the Warriors protect home court and take a 2-0 lead in the series with Game 3 to be played in Houston on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Dwight Howard shrugged off a knee injury to enjoy a strong game with 19 points and 17 rebounds, although his poor free-throw shooting was an issue for the Rockets.
It was a more balanced scoring effort from the hosts with four of their five starters ending the game in double figures, while they also had solid contributions from their bench players which ultimately made the difference.
After missing an opportunity to win on the road, it remains to be seen whether or not Houston can bounce back from their latest disappointment to fight their way back into this series.
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