The good news is the Houston Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors 98-94 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the series. The bad news is twofold and concerns both of Houston’s superstars.
James Harden is in the midst of a slump of epic proportions, but it seems like the likely MVP remains unfazed. The Beard responded to his record-tying 0-11 night from three-point land (and 20 straight misses dating back to Game 4) with a determined air of nonchalance. “We’re winning. Who cares?” If this John Starks level of playoff ineptitude won’t shake him, neither will reactions from when he turns down one of the most wide-open shots of all time or the gentle ribbing from Steve Kerr. In Harden’s mind, the slump is easy to dismiss, and he will catch fire again, particularly with his own coach, Mike D’Antoni, talking about thermostats.
But the news regarding Chris Paul is a lot more disconcerting. With under a minute to go in Game 5, the guard pulled up lame with Houston clinging to a lead as tight as Paul’s nagging hamstring. Reports are now confirmed that he will miss Game 6, and Draymond Green’s guarantee looks much more likely to come true. With Paul’s status unclear for Game 7 as well, Eric Gordon will have to step up, while Steph Curry may have an uncontested chance to win the shimmy war.
Which brings us to today’s quiz of the day. As previously stated, James Harden went a record-tying 0-11 on three-pointers in a single playoff game. That is not the kind of history you want to make, but solace can be taken in the fact that even some of the biggest names in the game have off nights. With that said, how many of the players that missed at least seven three-pointers without making one in a playoff game can you name in six minutes?
Good luck!