• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Warriors outlast surging Rockets in OT

Feb 21, 2014 - 8:09 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 102-99 win over the Houston Rockets at Oracle Arena.

David Lee finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds and Andre Iguodala had 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Warriors, winners in two straight.

Jermaine O'Neal finished with just two points but had 10 rebounds and a key block late in overtime for Golden State. Steve Blake made his debut for the Warriors, scoring just three points on 1-of-5 shooting in just under 18 minutes.

James Harden scored 39 points, Chandler Parsons had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Dwight Howard finished with 11 points, 21 rebounds and four blocks for the Rockets, who had a season-high eight-game winning streak halted.

"That was a tough one, we had our chances. New streak starts Sunday," Parsons said.

The Warriors opened up a four-point lead after Jordan Crawford hit a turnaround jumper 23 seconds into the fourth quarter, but the Rockets tied the game at 73-73 minutes later with a Harden slam dunk at the 8:18 mark.

The Rockets eventually took the lead when Howard's dunk preceded a Harden layup just past the midway point of the frame. Curry countered with a 27-foot pull-up 3-pointer and a floater to put the hosts back in front, 80-77, but the Rockets rallied to regain the lead as Parson knocked down a triple from the top of the key.

Harden's three-point pay with 1:14 remaining in regulation made it 87-85 in favor of Houston, but Lee's floater on the other end knotted things up.

With the shot clock winding down ensuing possession, Jeremy Lin hoisted a desperation jumper that was no where near the rim, but Harden stripped Lee at the other end before calmly nailing a step back jumper from the top of the key for an 89-87 lead with 6.9 remaining.

With the clock winding down Curry drove in on the left side and floated a layup high off the glass over Howard before receiving a friendly bounce to tie the game.

"We had a dribble play to see if we could get a quick look at an open 3. The way the screen was set up I had an open lane, it was just a matter of finishing over Dwight. Thankfully I got the soft touch," Curry said.

Harden got a clean look with time expiring, but couldn't get it to fall, forcing the extra session.

Just under a minute into overtime, Curry nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 92-89. Parsons pulled the Rockets within one when his layup was swatted away by O'Neal after it hit the glass, but Iguodala came down and got an acrobatic layup to fall.

A lob to Howard pulled the Rockets within one once again, but Iguodala got a bank shot from the wing to go to make it 96-93 with just over two minutes to play.

After trading empty possessions, Lin found Howard with a beautiful bounce pass and the big man slammed it home to pull the Rockets within one, 96-95.

Lee missed a short jumper on the other end and Harden found Parsons cutting along the baseline, but O'Neal stuffed Parsons at the rim, and Curry made a pair of free throws at the other end for a 98-95 lead.

"I was just doing my job," O'Neal said.

Harden had the Rockets within a point after a pair of free throws with seven seconds left, but a pair of Curry free throws stretched it back to three, 100-97.

Omri Casspi's inbounds pass was intercepted by Draymond Green, who sealed the win with a pair of free throws and Harden threw down a dunk at the buzzer for the final margin.

Golden State led 47-43 after a first half that featured 14 lead changes. The Warriors led 64-55 with 4:22 left in the third, but Houston closed the half on a 12-7 swing to pull within 71-67 entering the fourth quarter.

Following the contest, Harden underwent an X-ray on his right elbow, which came back negative. Harden apparently injured the elbow in overtime after a collision with Lin. He will be evaluated further on Friday.

Game Notes

Klay Thompson and Crawford finished with 12 points apiece ... Houston outrebounded the Warriors 60-49 ... Earlier on Thursday, the Rockets acquired Denver swingman Jordan Hamilton in exchange for reserve guard Aaron Brooks.