Warriors' second-half explosion buries Rockets, forces Game 7 in Houston

Jordan Greer

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Warriors' second-half explosion buries Rockets, forces Game 7 in Houston image

The Warriors simply overwhelmed the Rockets in the second half of Game 6 on Saturday night, outscoring Houston 64-25 in the final two quarters on the way to a 115-86 blowout victory.

Klay Thompson (35 points, 9-of-14 from 3-point range) and Stephen Curry (29 points, six assists, five rebounds) went into full "Splash Brothers" mode, drilling open looks all over the floor and leaving the Rockets' defense scrambling. Draymond Green took only three shots, but he filled up the box score with 10 rebounds, nine assists, five blocks and four steals.

James Harden did his best to push the Rockets to the NBA Finals with 32 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, but talent and turnovers ultimately buried Houston down the stretch. The Rockets certainly could have used Chris Paul in this one to settle them down. His status for Game 7 remains unclear at this point and will be a major storyline in the next two days.

Check out the best highlights from Game 6 of the Western Conference finals...

Game 6 box score

Final: Warriors 115, Rockets 86

11:25 p.m. ET — After falling behind by 17 points in the first quarter, Golden State finishes the game on a 93-47 run. What?! It's a win-or-go-home situation now. Should be a lot of fun.

11:15 p.m. ET — This is crazy. The Warriors have outscored the Rockets 55-20 in the second half. Just an all-out assault in the last 24 minutes. We're going to a Game 7 in Houston.

11:02 p.m. ET — This Klay Thompson bomb gives the Warriors a double-digit lead. This could be an early dagger with how Golden State has played defensively this half.

End of third quarter: Warriors 84, Rockets 77

10:51 p.m. ET — Stephen Curry (22 points) and Klay Thompson (26) both find the range from deep to help push the Warriors ahead with a huge 33-16 run in the third. The crowd is alive inside Oracle Arena. James Harden is up to 32 points, but he's going to need some help in the final frame. Eric Gordon has slowed down significantly after a terrific first half.

10:37 p.m. ET — James Harden over here showing the rookie how it's done.

10:32 p.m. ET — The Warriors are charging hard. The game is now tied at 66 points apiece. Yet another third-quarter explosion for Golden State.

10:24 p.m. ET — That took 95 seconds. The Warriors kick off the second half with an 8-0 run. Mike D'Antoni calls timeout. The Rockets are only up by two.

Halftime: Rockets 61, Warriors 51

10:06 p.m. ET — Despite a second-quarter surge by the Warriors, the Rockets walk into the locker room with a 10-point advantage on the road. An impressive first half. James Harden has 22 points and seven assists so far, but Eric Gordon has really taken his game to another level with Chris Paul out. He's got 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range. Kevin Durant (14 points), Klay Thompson (14) and Stephen Curry (13) are all putting up points, but the trio is a combined 4-of-16 from beyond the arc.

9:53 p.m. ET — Kevin Durant turning defense into offense. The Warriors are locked in defensively. The Rockets' 17-point lead is all the way down to five.

9:47 p.m. ET — Eric Gordon is a perfect 5-of-5 for 13 points. He will never miss again! (OK, probably not, but that would be impressive.)

9:41 p.m. ET — The Warriors are showing signs of life. A little 12-4 spurt to keep it close. Golden State is also using full-court pressure to speed up the Rockets and force some turnovers.

End of first quarter: Rockets 39, Warriors 22

9:31 p.m. ET — Wow. What a start for the Rockets. Houston is 8-of-12 from 3-point range as a team, and James Harden has finally broken out of his slump. He's got 15 points and four assists through the first 12 minutes. He looks extremely confident.

9:19 p.m. ET — Yep, Stephen Curry can still shoot from waaaaay out there.

9:11 p.m. ET — The Rockets jump out to a 13-6 lead, hitting 3-of-5 attempts from 3-point range. Eric Gordon already has eight points.

9:04 p.m. ET — Your Game 6 starters...

Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney

Rockets: James Haren, Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza, PJ Tucker, Clint Capela

8:56 p.m. ET — Apparently Stephen Curry is feeling just fine with his season on the line...

8:42 p.m. ET —  And here come the Rockets. Let's see how James Harden adjusts without Chris Paul by his side.

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.