OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State’s quest for a repeat championship remains intact.
An awful start was followed by three quarters of utter dominance, spot-on shot-making and beautiful defense — even against one of the game’s greatest and hardest to stop in James Harden.
The ups and downs are still perplexing to coach Steve Kerr.
“I have no clue why our team is like this,” Kerr said. “It’s kind of what we do.”
They might be able to do it all the way to a fourth straight NBA Finals.
Klay Thompson knocked down nine 3-pointers on the way to 35 points, the Warriors held Harden down in the second half, and Golden State rallied from an early 17-point deficit to stave off elimination with a 115-86 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night to force a deciding Game 7 in the Western Conference finals.
“I guess you could say I was born for it. Man, that felt good,” Thompson said.
Stephen Curry added 29 points and five 3s on a night Harden dazzled for long stretches with 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds while backcourt mate Chris Paul sat out sidelined by a strained right hamstring.
Kevin Durant struggled with his stroke at 6 for 17 but still scored 23 points as the defending champions kept their repeat quest alive by thoroughly outplaying Houston in the second half. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 55-20 in the second half before both coaches subbed their key players with 4:28 left.
A dynamic, star-studded series projected to be as captivating and compelling as the actual NBA Finals is going the distance. Game 7 is Monday night back in Houston.
“We just didn’t want to go out like that,” Thompson said, “we wanted to force Game 7 so badly.”
Golden State stymied Harden on consecutive possessions early in the fourth with smothering defense led by Nick Young and several helpers, then Thompson hit a 3-pointer from the left wing at 9:40 for an 89-77 lead. And roaring Oracle Arena went crazy with hopes of even more home games to come if Golden State can get to a fourth straight finals.
Thompson came through with his best performance of these playoffs with the season on the line, just as he did in a 2016 Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at Oklahoma City when he went off for 41 points against Durant and the Thunder to force Game 7.
“I thought Klay was amazing tonight, not just the 35 points and the nine 3s but his defense,” Kerr said. “The guy’s a machine. He’s just so fit physically. He seems to thrive in these situations.”
Thompson went a combined 20 of 32 from 3-point range in those two Game 6s.
The Warriors used another of their signature third quarters to take an 84-77 advantage going into the final 12 minutes, then maintained that dominant level this time down the stretch, unlike their last home game at roaring Oracle Arena when they blew it in Game 4 on Tuesday.
Both teams let it fly from every corner of the court — Golden State hitting 16 3-pointers and Houston 15.
The Warriors outscored Houston 93-47 over the final three quarters.
“Nothing changes for us. We know what we have to do,” Harden said. “… We’re still confident. We’re a confident group. We’ve just got one chance.”
Thompson’s baseline 3 in transition with 3:35 left in the third put the Warriors up 76-74, then Curry hit from way back the next time down over Gerald Green. Curry did it again moments later from deep.
The Warriors opened the third with an 11-0 burst to go ahead 62-61 on Curry’s 3 at 9:17, also getting a pair of 3s from Thompson and a dunk by Durant. Houston committed four quick turnovers.
Yellow-clad Oracle came alive, too.
Golden State did it playing again without forward Andre Iguodala, who missed his third straight game of the series with a bone bruise in his left knee sustained in Game 3.
