Warriors clinch 1st Finals in 40 years with rugged Game 5 win over Rockets
Although they’re best known as a high-powered offensive team, the Golden State Warriors have proven the ability to win in many ways throughout a tremendous season. It’s fitting, then, that they clinched the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance in 40 years by topping the Houston Rockets in a rugged, often sloppy 104-90 Game 5 victory to close out the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday night.
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After scoring a season-low 17 first-quarter points, the Warriors grabbed a six-point halftime lead and overcame considerable third-quarter foul trouble to take control of the game in the fourth quarter. Yet the heroes were not MVP Stephen Curry and fellow All-Star Klay Thompson, but third-year wing Harrison Barnes, who scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth, and backup center Festus Ezeli, who played 28 minutes (nine more than starter Andrew Bogut) and put up 12 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The Rockets had several opportunities to take advantage of Golden State struggles in the second half but could not overcome an NBA playoff record 13 turnovers for James Harden, who also shot just 2-of-11 from the field for 14 points.
The conference-clinching victory continues off a stellar season for the Warriors, who won a franchise-record 67 games and entered the postseason as title favorites. They will have homecourt advantage in the NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who finished off a sweep of the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. The teams will have more than a week to prepare for Game 1, which is scheduled for next Thursday, June 4 at 6 p.m. PT at Oracle Arena in Oakland.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
