The Golden State Warriors lost 4 against the Houston Rockets after a collapse in the last quarter, so the Conference Finals are balanced. But Golden State still had a chance at the end of the game.
Kevin Durant said at the post-match press conference that he “would like the last game back” when the Warriors were 12 seconds behind on the clock and 2 points behind. Golden State did without a time-out, Durant brought the ball and served Klay Thompson, but against Trevor Ariza he only got rid of an emergency throw and produced an airball.
With five seconds left on the clock, Durant had actually reclaimed the ball because it was pretty open, while Draymond Green tried to take a time-out but didn’t get the Golden State. In the end Golden State did not score any more points and lost the game, in the whole last quarter the Dubs brought only 12 points on the scoreboard.
“I walked forward and tried to evaluate my options. I saw Klay at the baseline and maybe I should have waited, but I played a bounce pass on him and ran away again,” Durant explained the scene from his point of view. “But that’s not why we lost. I wish we had played this better in the end, but we’ll just have to live with it and perform better next game.”
Durant, who scored 27 points in the game, specified: “We need to be better in many ways, especially in the last quarter. When we led there at 10, it was actually a good way to take control, but we did not. That’s why I wish I had the last play back. “I’ll look at the tape and hopefully be better next time I’m in a situation like this.”
Game 5 takes place in the night from Thursday to Friday in Houston (3 am, live on DAZN).