When the Cardinals signed Justin Pugh to a five-year, $45 million deal this offseason, some people noted that Pugh has missed 13 games over the last two seasons and wondered if his body will hold up in Arizona.
We can’t know how things would have gone for Pugh if he’d remained at one position for all of last season, but the hope in Arizona is that he’ll be staying put at right guard all year. If that leads to better health, it would be welcome news for running back David Johnson and perhaps quarterback Sam Bradford‘s own bid to tamp down the injury prone label as well.
Houston handled the defending champions in their hostile, imposing home arena and sustained the latest second-half flurry by Curry, getting 30 points from James Harden and another 27 from Paul to even the Western Conference finals at two games apiece with a 95-92 victory Tuesday night.
Curry scored 28 points and Kevin Durant added 27 points and 12 rebounds but the Warriors missed their final five shots from the floor and their NBA-record postseason winning streak at home ended at 16 games.
The Rockets shook off a 41-point embarrassment in Game 3, a 12-0 deficit to start Tuesday and another big run by the Warriors in the third, then won it with defense down the stretch.
“We’re a team. We’re really good as a team,” Harden said.
Paul rebounded Klay Thompson’s miss just before the final buzzer sounded for the first time and celebrated in front of a stunned, yellow-clad home crowd. A replay review ensued and it was determined Shaun Livingston fouled Paul before the game ended, so Paul made a free throw with 0.5 seconds left.
And he did it all playing on a tender foot.