Warriors erupt and rout Rockets in Game 4

Updated: 4/24/16, 8:22 p.m.
Posted: April 24, 2016 -- 18:56 pm CDT.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Golden State Warriors erupted for 41 points in the third quarter to blow open a tied game and rolled to a 121-94 victory over the Houston Rockets.

"When the moment calls for us to raise our intensity levels, we dropped our guard," said JB Bickerstaff, Rockets interim-head coach. You could see the difference in the way that they (Golden State) played in that third quarter, how they scrapped, how they got every loose ball. You could see the intent in their guys’ eyes. They knew one of their guys was down and they were going to raise their level of play. The moment where we needed to match that intensity, we didn’t do it."

With the win today, the Warriors take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series versus the Rockets. Nine teams have overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series -- including the Rockets twice (1995 Western Conference Semifinals vs Phoenix and 2015 Western Conference Semifinals vs the LA Clippers).

Despite Steph Curry's not playing in the second-half due to a sprained right knee, the Warriors made 8 three-point shots (out of 13 attempts - missed last 4 attempts) to blow the game open.

The game was tied at 29 after the first quarter and 56 at halftime. Then, the Warriors erupted in the third quarter; and, the Rockets did not respond.

The Warriors made an NBA Playoff-record 21 three-point shots in the win.

Klay Thompson scored a team-high 23 points (7 for 11 from three).

"It didn’t surprise me one bit we played so well in the second half," Steve Kerr, Warriors head coach said after the game. "Our guys play for each other, I think they were playing for Steph in the second half. We felt oddly enough pretty good about the first half. We played it beautiful about 10 minutes in the first quarter, then the roof kind of caved in on us for a variety of reasons and then it got real choppy, everything was going their way. To go in at halftime tied in our minds was a victory. We felt like we could get our rhythm back. We obviously did, 38 assists, 121 points. We liked our groove and I thought Andre (Iguodala) and Klay (Thompson) did a phenomenal job on James (Harden) just trying to make everything difficult. He didn’t get to the line, I don’t think at all in the second half, I may be wrong about that, but we stopped fouling him and we got the momentum."

Dwight Howard led the Rockets with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

James Harden scored 18 points; but, Harden made only 4 of 13 field goals.

"Terrible way, terrible way, terrible way to lose," James Harden said. "Like I said, the third quarter, it was just a breakdown. It was a breakdown that led to 41 points, that’s way too many points. It was on loose ball opportunities, rebounds, and things like that.

"That’s kind of how it’s been all season long, it’s frustrating," Harden added. "We will get over that hump, will play well, and play a really good third quarter and things are different. It’s frustrating, but we still have an opportunity to go back to the Bay for Game 5 and we just have to figure out a way to get a win."

Game 5 is Wednesday night. Tip is set for 9:30 p.m. CDT.

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