Speights sparks comeback, but Warriors fall 97-96

[...] none of them could push James Harden and Houston to the brink of playoff elimination. Harden scored 35 points, including a clutch 10-foot jumper in the lane with two seconds left, and the Rockets escaped with a 97-96 victory at Toyota Center. Curry missed his second consecutive game with a sprained right ankle. The Warriors, who trailed by 17 points in the second quarter, had whittled the deficit to one when Livingston stole Trevor Ariza's errant inbounds pass with 14 seconds left. Livingston fed Clark for a fast-break layup to give the Warriors a 96-95 lead with 10 seconds remaining. The Rockets outplayed the Warriors most of the night - dramatically so for stretches - and yet Golden State, astonishingly, was right there in the fourth quarter. The Warriors made noise a couple more times down the stretch, but ultimately the Rockets held serve. James Harden scored on a four-point play (aided by a Draymond Green foul), then cruised into the lane for an easy layup - meeting no resistance at all from Green - to push Houston ahead 68-56. Even center Dwight Howard, so listless for long stretches in the first two games, seemed rejuvenated. Howard twice leaped into the air to turn...