NBA -- Rockets stay alive with Game 4 victory
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 01 May 2013
CHICAGO -- Down 3-0 and facing elimination at home, Houston showed a lot of Rocket pride and grit Monday night and held off the streaking Oklahoma City Thunder, 105-103, at the Toyota Center.
Five Rockets finished in double figures in scoring with Chandler Parsons tallying 27 points and 10 rebounds. Center Omer Asik had 17 and 14 boards and Patrick Beverley added 16. James Harden had a quiet 15 points and Carlos Delfino chipped in 13 for the Rockets, who barely won after scoring just 14 fourth quarter points.
"We were in this situation the last two games. There was no way we were going to give this one up. The pain, the frustration from those last two losses, we didn't want that feeling again. We weren't going to let our season end with that happening the third straight time," Parsons told NBA.com after Houston finally got over the hump following their disappointing Game 2 and 3 setbacks that both went down the wire.
The victory cut the Rockets' best-of-7 series deficit to 3-1 with Game 5 returning to the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday night.
After trailing 29-24 at the end of the first quarter, the Thunder appeared well on their way to a series sweep but the Rockets outscored them 38-24 in the third quarter, giving the Rockets enough cushion down the stretch.
"Essentially, they did what they were supposed to do -- win at home -- what's the panic about,?" said forward Kevin Durant who led the Thunder with 38 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Reggie Jackson also had 18 for OKC while Kevin Martin added 16. (Homer D. Sayson)
Photo: Chandler Parsons eludes Kevin Durant on the way to 27 points and 10 rebounds.
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