Chris Paul finished and won the battle.
James Harden wasn’t even on the court.
Don’t go crazy yet, Rockets believers. I still fully believe Harden’s team is taking this series. And I will be absolutely shocked if Oklahoma City somehow advances to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
But Saturday night in the bubble was a reminder.
Of Paul’s strength, intensity and unyielding determination.
That Harden is still at a point in his career where he can score a game-high 38 points, have an off night and underperform when it truly matters.
With Russell Wesbrook, the Rockets are up 3-0. Without their second-best player, Harden’s team holds a 2-1 lead after a frustrating and painful 119-107 overtime victory by Paul’s Thunder in Florida.
This series was set up as a nationally televised battle between the Beard and CP3 before the first game was played. Three contests later, bodies are flying, critical late-game calls are being fiercely debated and the 35-year-old Paul is willing his young squad to survival.
With 24.4 seconds remaining in regulation, Harden and Paul became entangled. They fought for extra inches of space. They almost wrestled as their bodies collided. And even when it felt like the game had changed for good in the Rockets’ favor — a poorly timed foul by Paul, Harden sinking a free throw and the Rockets holding a 103-101 lead — CP3 still found a way to muscle up and capture the evening.
I wrote Thursday that I thought OKC would be better than they had been.
They finally prevailed Saturday as the sleeker, more precise and more focused team — for one game, at least.
When Harden fouled out just 53 seconds into OT, the Rockets immediately became shaky.
Paul got stronger and stronger in the final five minutes, and a ridiculous fall-away 3-pointer captured the future Hall of Famer’s gutsy night.
Two years ago, CP3 was the Rockets’ best player in the Western Conference finals when they finally were on the verge of overcoming the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty and winning the NBA Finals for the first time since 1995.
So the Rockets had seen it all before. But it was still fascinating to watch Paul find a way — for one game, at least — past his previous team. And sink two 29-foot 3s late in OT.
“What he’s been doing for probably the last 15 years. He just is a great player and a great clutch player,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Having said that, we had the game: 24 seconds and a one-point lead. But, hey, they executed. We didn’t quite — some things just messed up a little bit.”
That is a professional understatement.
D’Antoni became so heated in the final minutes that he gave up his protective mask and went all-in on the officials.
I bet that D’Antoni would have been a little cooler late if he had another offensive option — journeyman Jeff Green was the team’s No. 2 (or No. 1?) scoring option with Harden stuck on the bench — and his team had played sharper defense when it really mattered.
The Thunder played well, D’Antoni said.
The Rockets …
“We didn’t play very well,” he said.
I concur.
With Westbrook, I would still expect 3-1 Rockets by Monday evening. Without No. 0, Game 4 is much harder to predict. And the last thing a championship-or-bust team needs is a series tie heading into Game 5.
Small ball worked against the Rockets in the final minutes Saturday. They were outrebounded 54-46, while only connecting on 15 of their 50 3s.
Harden continued to misfire from long range, hitting just 3 of his 13 attempts.
Eric Gordon was better and explosive at times. He also only shot 8-of-24 from the floor and was 2-of-10 on 3s.
And as amazing as Green’s 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and five made 3s are, if you know your recent NBA history, the fact that the Rockets are relying on the 33-year-old forward to do so much in such a critical postseason says a ton about the remainder of D’Antoni’s roster. So does Green bringing the ball up the court with a playoff victory in the crosshairs.
In Game 2, the Rockets’ others were difference makers. In Game 3, the others were just others.
Take Harden away with a 3-0 series lead on the line and no wonder D’Antoni’s squad collapsed late.
But again: Don’t go crazy.
I had the Rockets in six before the first opening tip. And there was no way that CP3 was going down without a real fight.
“It’s one game,” D’Antoni said. “We played a lot of minutes but they played a lot of minutes, also. It’s going to be just whoever has the will next game to come out and get a win.”
Paul was tougher and stronger in Game 3.
Which means that now it’s Harden time.
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