James Harden saved the Houston Rockets — and himself from criticism — with his defense. It was a fitting end to one of the most bizarre and unpredictable final minutes imaginable in a Game 7 of the NBA playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, the game’s unlikely leading scorer, squared up for a potential game-winning three-pointer with 4.8 seconds remaining and the season on the line, but Harden blocked the attempt. All that happened before and after was even stranger, but the result was a 104-102 Rockets win.
Houston will now face the top-seeded Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Friday.