NBA’s Harden leads Rockets win, Curry OK after scary fall (AFP)

A playoff career-high 45 points by James Harden sparked the Houston Rockets to a 128-115 must-win victory over the Golden State Warriors, denying the Warriors an easy path to the NBA Finals. The Warriors had a scare and then breathed a sigh of relief after NBA Player of the Year Stephen Curry suffered a bruise to the back of his head after a bad fall in the second quarter but then returned to the game. Houston got their first win in the series, pulling to 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals and forcing a fifth game Wednesday in Oakland.