Stephen Curry, Short-Handed Golden State Warriors Knock Out Houston Rockets in Game 6

HOUSTON (AP) — After Stephen Curry bounced back from the first scoreless first half of his playoff career to score 33 points in the last two quarters and help the Golden State Warriors eliminate the Houston Rockets and advance to the Western Conference finals on Friday night, coach Steve Kerr stopped to talk with his star’s parents.

He said he told Dell and Sonya Curry: “If that game didn’t personify Steph Curry, I don’t know what does.”

Curry’s huge second half allowed the Warriors to overcome the absence of Kevin Durant and get the 118-113 win. He heard the chatter about how he’d struggled in this series entering this game and admitted that he was “pretty terrible” before halftime on Friday night.

“A night like tonight doesn’t happen without belief in myself,” Curry said.

Klay Thompson added 27 points to help two-time defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for a franchise-record fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury sustained in the second half of their Game 5 victory.

James Harden led Houston with 35 points, and Chris Paul added 27.

The Warriors move on to face the Denver-Portland winner with Game 1 scheduled for Tuesday night in Oakland.

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