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 Rockets 103, Mavericks 94
James Harden and Terrence Jones combined on a series of backbreaking
plays to lift the Houston Rockets to a 103-94 victory over the
Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center, clinching their Western
Conference first-round series in five games.
The pair got to work when Houston were clinging to a 94-89 lead with
2:39 remaining and Harden buried a three-pointer. He added a steal
on defense, pushed the ball up court, and fed Jones for a dunk that
bumped the advantage to eight points.
Jones added another transition dunk with 51.7 seconds to play, this
one off a length-of-the-court pass from Harden, to help complete a
4-1 win in the best-of-seven series.
Harden finished with 28 points and eight assists while Jones added
15 points, with 10 coming in the fourth quarter.
Rockets center Dwight Howard added 18 points, 19 rebounds and four
blocks, while Josh Smith chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds off
the bench.
Mavericks guard Monta Ellis paced Dallas with 25 points and seven
assists, while forward Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and 14 boards.
Forward Al-Farouq Aminu had 14 points and nine rebounds before
fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets will face the winner of the San Antonio Spurs-Los
Angeles Clippers series in the Western Conference semi-finals.
- - -
Spurs 111, Clippers 107
Forward Tim Duncan scored 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the
San Antonio Spurs held off the Los Angeles Clippers in a 111-107
thriller to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference first-round
series at Staples Center.
San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard added 18 points, including two
clutch free throws to seal the win with 1.2 seconds left. Leonard
also had nine rebounds.
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The Spurs can close out the series with a victory in Game 6 on
Thursday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.
The Clippers missed a chance to win it down the stretch. Forward
Blake Griffin, who finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and seven
assists, missed a runner in the lane, and center DeAndre Jordan's
tip-in was wiped off because of basket interference with 4.3 seconds
remaining and the Clippers trailing 108-107. The officials confirmed
the call on a review.
Guard Danny Green hit one of two foul shots with 4.1 seconds left,
giving the Spurs a 109-107 lead, but Leonard rebounded the second
miss and was fouled with 1.2 seconds left. He hit both free throws
to clinch the decision, putting the Clippers on the brink of
elimination.
Jordan finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and point guard
Chris Paul scored 19 points and recorded 10 assists, but it wasn't
enough for Los Angeles. (Editing by Cameron French)
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