Warriors Fall To Rockets In Double OT; 12-Game Win Streak Snapped
OAKLAND (CBS / AP) -- Kevin Durant just missed the garbage can with his postgame ice bag, and that told the story of Golden State's long night. Then, Draymond Green expressed his disgust with the officiating.
James Harden notched his fourth triple-double of the season with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Houston Rockets outlasted the Warriors 132-127 in double overtime Thursday night to end Golden State's 12-game winning streak.
Eric Gordon scored 23 off the bench as Houston snapped an eight-game skid to the Warriors, who lost MVP Stephen Curry with 3:25 left in the last extra session when he was whistled for a charge. Ryan Anderson also scored 29 with five 3-pointers and the teams combined to shoot an NBA-record 88 3s, 44 apiece, the Warriors said according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"A statement win to show the whole NBA that we can compete with anybody in the league," Rockets guard Patrick Beverley said. "We're a very confident team. That's the one thing Coach instilled in the team."
Harden put his team ahead on a 30-footer with 3:12 left in the second overtime and hit a pair of free throws with 2:10 to go following a flagrant foul on Green.
"I thought there was other calls that could have been called flagrant, too," Green said. "I'm under the impression that if you're hit in the head, incidental contact, I think that's a flagrant foul if I'm not mistaken. We'll see. Maybe I'll go read the rule book, maybe I'm wrong. If I'm not mistaken, I'm right. They're the best in the world."
Durant matched his season high with 39 points to go with 13 rebounds but shot 12 of 28 and went 3 for 11 from 3-point range. Green had 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Curry scored his team's first six points in the initial overtime and finished with 28 points and five assists.
Durant also had three steals, three blocks and a gorgeous give-and-go to Green. Houston had an answer each time and the Warriors couldn't hit the big shots the way they usually do. Klay Thompson was 4 for 20, 3 of 13 on 3s, on the way to 15 points.
"There are going to be nights like that. You've got to find a way to win," Durant said. "We put ourselves in a good position to win."
Houston snapped Golden State's seven-game home winning streak in an entertaining rematch of the first round of the playoffs, won in five games by the Warriors, who also beat the Rockets in a five-game 2015 Western Conference finals on the way to their first championship in 40 years.
The Warriors hadn't lost in Oracle Arena since a 129-100 season-opening rout by San Antonio on Oct. 25 -- and Golden State has only lost two regular-season games at home in each of the past two seasons.
Anderson shined in his first game with the Rockets back in the Bay Area where he starred collegiately for California, hitting the go-ahead free throws with 22.7 seconds left after beating the shot clock buzzer with a baseline 3-pointer and another late field goal.
TIP-INS
Rockets: The rivals played their first double-OT game since Feb. 3, 1991, a 143-135 home win by Houston. ... Coach Mike D'Antoni opted to rest C Nene in the first game of the back-to-back because he is better suited to face the Nuggets' big men. ... Houston has hit at least 10 3-pointers in 18 straight games -- the longest such streak in NBA history.
Warriors: Since coming West in 1962-63, the Warriors are 10-14 in double overtime. ... It was Golden State's first double-OT game since Dec. 11 last year at Boston and first at home since Nov. 10, 2012, vs. Denver. ... Golden State had 31 assists for its NBA-leading 13th game with 30 or more.
DRAYMOND'S D
Green has a chip on his shoulder to show the NBA and all the skeptics the Warriors can still play great D even with all their superstar scorers.
Whatever it takes to fire up the versatile forward, as far as Kerr is concerned.
"He's our most vocal defender. He's our most vocal human being," coach Steve Kerr said. "It translates."
Green was called for a foul against Harden late in the first half that he didn't like and Kerr either. Both received technical fouls in short succession for arguing -- then he picked up the late flagrant.
UP NEXT
Rockets: At Denver in the second game playing back-to-back nights. Houston was swept 3-0 in last season's series after going 4-0 in 2014-15.
Warriors: Host Phoenix on Saturday trying for a 10th consecutive victory against the Suns and 18th in 21 and 11th straight at Oracle.
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