LOS ANGELES – Only one team in the past 20 years has ever come back from a 3-1 series deficit. That team? The Houston Rockets.
Houston mounted a historic come back on Thursday as the Rockets rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-107.
James Harden led the Rockets with 23 points as six players scored in double-figures for Houston.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 21 rebounds, Trever Ariza had 13.
Terrence Jones had 16 and Corey Brewer scored 19 off the bench for the Rockets.
The Clippers were up 19 points midway through the third quarter and seemed destined to advance to their first Western Conference Finals in franchise history. Unfortunately, those plans were put on hold.
Chris Paul led the Clips with 28 points and 11 assists.
Blake Griffin chipped in 28 as well and J.J. Redick had 15.
Similar to games three and four, the Clippers charged out of the gates in the third quarter and went on a 23-6 run to start the second half. Griffin made a 360 circus shot to punctuate the stretch. Paul and Griffin combined for 18 points on 7-7 shooting in the third.
The Rockets came back from a 19-point deficit and tied the game with 4:10 left in the fourth quarter.
Josh Smith caught fire down the stretch scoring 8 of his 19 points during a 90 second stretch.
The Clippers went ice cold during the final six minutes of the game. They couldn't make a basket for over five minutes and the Rockets capitalized going on a 17-0 run over that stretch.
Dwight Howard picked up a flagrant one foul and a technical foul in less than a minute. Howard dropped his shoulder while Griffin was driving to the basket in the third quarter, and two plays later picked up a technical foul for elbowing DeAndre Jordan in the head on his way back down the floor.
Game Notes:
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