OAKLAND, Calif. — The Houston Rockets couldn’t have scripted it any better.
James Harden had the ball in his hands in transition with the chance to win the game and tie the Western Conference finals at a game apiece.
Harden’s chance at a potential game-winning shot was squandered when Golden State knocked the ball away in the closing seconds of a 99-98 victory in Game 2 on Thursday night that left Harden on the floor with his head in his heads and the Warriors celebrating.
“Kicking chairs. It’s frustrating. Frustrating to give the game away like that for myself,” Harden said. “Ten out of 10 times we’ll take that play.”
Harden finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in another sterling effort. He led the Rockets back from a 17-point deficit in the second quarter and had them in position to win in the closing seconds.
Harden fed gimpy Dwight Howard for an alley-oop that cut the deficit to one point with 33 seconds to go, then came down with the rebound when Harrison Barnes missed a reverse with about 8 seconds left.
With Houston having one timeout remaining, coach Kevin McHale let his star push the ball up court, hoping to catch the Warriors before they could get set on defense.
“I will take our best player coming downhill in a broken court any day of the week to win the game,” McHale said. “That’s where James feasts, and you know, that’s where he’s at his best.”
The Warriors tried to double-team Harden and he gave the ball away to Howard beyond the 3-point line. Howard got it back to Harden, who was still double-teamed by Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry deflected the ball and the clock ran out before Harden could regain possession.
Harden fell to the floor and put his hands over his head as the Warriors celebrated on the court, the sellout crowd roared and golden-yellow confetti fell from the rafters. Harden then slammed a curtain and kicked some chairs on his way off the court in frustration.
“It’s just a little frustrated at that last play, but overall I feel good,” Harden said. “We’re really confident about what we have going on. We let two slip away, so now we go back to Houston and take care of business at home.”
Game 3 is Saturday in Houston.
Curry, James unanimous selections to All-NBA first team
NEW YORK —Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the league MVP, and LeBron James are the only unanimous selections to the All-NBA first team.
New Orleans’ Anthony Davis and Memphis center Marc Gasol joined Curry as newcomers on the team. Houston’s James Harden rounded it out with his second straight selection.
Curry and James, who are three victories from meeting in the NBA Finals, each received first-team votes on all 129 ballots Thursday. James earned his ninth first-team selection in 12 years, tying Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson for third all-time.
Voting was done by a panel of writers and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada, who voted for two guards, two forwards and one center to comprise a first, second and third team.
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook led the second team, joined by Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, the Clippers’ Chris Paul, Chicago’s Pau Gasol and Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins. The third team was the Clippers’ Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Golden State’s Klay Thompson.