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NBA roundup: Rockets eliminate Thunder

[April 26, 2017] The Sports Xchange

HOUSTON -- Lou Williams scored 10 points during an opening burst in the fourth quarter, and James Harden finished with a team-high 34 points as the Houston Rockets rallied for a 105-99 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night to claim their Western Conference first-round playoff series in five games.

Williams opened the fourth with two free throws and added three more from the line plus a deep 3-pointer that pushed the Houston lead to 86-81. The Rockets once again made progress with the Thunder's Russell Westbrook on the bench, holding onto their lead even after Westbrook re-entered the game with 9:09 left.

Westbrook amassed 47 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists but shot 2 of 11 in the final period -- 0 for 5 from behind the 3-point arc -- after carrying the Thunder to the lead in the third. None of his teammates finished with more than 11 points.

Harden shot 16 of 17 from the free-throw line. Williams totaled 22 points, while guard Patrick Beverley added 15 points and eight rebounds. Eric Gordon and Nene combined for 22 points off the bench as Rockets' reserves posted a 44-22 edge over the Thunder's bench.

Spurs 116, Grizzlies 103

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Patty Mills added 20 and Tony Parker 16 as San Antonio took a 3-2 lead on Memphis in their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Mills, the backup point guard, made five 3-pointers -- four in the fourth quarter -- while finishing with a career best for scoring in the playoffs. LaMarcus Aldridge added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Spurs.

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Mike Conley scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter for Memphis, which trailed by 18 late in the third quarter before going on a 17-3 run. Marc Gasol added 17 points for the Grizzlies.

Jazz 96, Clippers 92

LOS ANGELES -- Gordon Hayward scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Utah held off Los Angeles to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference playoffs series.

Rodney Hood scored 16 points, and Joe Johnson delivered nine of his 14 points in the fourth quarter for Utah. Rudy Gobert added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz, who can clinch the series with a win in Game 6 on Friday in Salt Lake City.

Chris Paul scored 28 points and handed out nine assists for the Clippers, who played their second game without forward Blake Griffin, sidelined for the rest of the postseason with a plantar plate injury to his right big toe. J.J. Redick contributed 26 points, and DeAndre Jordan collected 14 points and 12 boards.

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