Warriors vs. Rockets Game 3 score: James Harden, Houston sneak past Golden State in OT to climb back into series

The Houston Rockets needed a response in Game 3 of their second-round series against the Golden State Warriors, and they delivered one with a clutch 126-121 victory in overtime to shrink the series deficit to 2-1. 

The Warriors started out on fire, and jumped out to a nice lead in the first few minutes. But the Rockets responded on their home floor and used a second-quarter surge to take a 58-49 advantage into the break. They maintained that lead until the early stages of the fourth quarter, when Kevin Durant rattled off 10 points in less than two minutes to get the Warriors back in the game. 

From there, the two teams traded baskets, and the game turned into an instant classic. Late in overtime, James Harden drained one of his patented step-back 3s to give the Rockets a six-point lead in the final minute. It looked like a possible dagger, but Kevin Durant went down the other end and got fouled on a 3-pointer to cut the deficit in half. 

On the other end though, Harden drove inside for a clutch floater to push the lead back to five, and when Steph Curry botched a dunk in the closing seconds, the win was sealed. 

Durant finished the night with 46 points in another playoff masterpiece, while Harden led the Rockets with 41 points of his own. Meanwhile, Eric Gordon added 30 to give the Rockets a big boost. 

Here are three big takeaways from Game 3:

Doing it the Harden away

Give James Harden his credit, man. All the talk about his rough first two games against Golden State and his cold shooting through these playoffs, not to mention that lacerated eyelid (which some of the Warriors apparently felt he was embellishing), and all he does is come out and save the Rockets' season in a must-win game with 41 point, nine rebounds and six assists.

And it wasn't just the numbers. Harden got buckets when the Rockers absolutely had to have them. Here with the Rockets clinging to a one-possession lead with less than a minute to play:

Here after Kevin Durant had just sunk three free throws on the other end to once again make it a one-possession game with under 30 seconds to play:

Harden was fantastic. And he had to be. Because Durant, who is playing absolutely unbelievable basketball in these playoffs, was doing everything in his power to steal this game from Houston. Harden wouldn't let it happen. 

So, about Kevin Durant

If there was ever any question as to who the Warriors' most valuable player is, Durant is ending that debate emphatically. Very simply, the Warriors would be sunk without him right now. Durant hung 46 on the Rockets in Game 3. He only shot 12-of-31 (6-of-10 from 3), but that's a credit to Houston's defense making him work. 

The fact is, Durant can't rely on Steph Curry right now. Curry is having a miserable series, and the Rockets are playing in a way that calls for Durant to do everything while they concentrate on limiting everyone else. They're not doubling him much. And Durant, rightfully, is doing everything he can to carry the load. It wasn't enough in Game 3, and you have to wonder if it'll continue to be enough in this series is Curry doesn't figure it out. 

Steph Curry's struggles

Curry is 25 percent -- 8-for-32 -- from 3 in this series. If you take out Game 1 agasint the Clippers, in which he was 8-for-12 from 3, he is shooting 35 percent on 3-pointers in the playoffs overall, and even that feels generous. He made a huge shot to seal Game 1 over Nene to mask the fact that he'd been laying bricks most of that game, but on Saturday his bumbles went to another level. 

Curry missed multiple shots down the stretch that we've all gotten used to him making, and they weren't all jumpers. Curry was blowing layups right and left. According to ESPN, Curry missed seven shots in the restricted area in Game 3, which is the most for any player in the last 20 years. This next clip pretty much sums it up:

Listen, that was not some throwaway bucket. That would've cut the Rockets' lead to three and there were still 20 seconds to play. He flat-out blew a breakaway trying -- once again -- to prove he can dunk. He has done this a lot before, but in this big a situation it is inexcusable. Boneheaded doesn't even do that play justice. 

"He just had a tough night," Steve Kerr said after the game. "It doesn't matter how good you are, you're going to have some bad games."

Bad game is putting it lightly. Curry finished with 17 points on 7-of-23 shooting including 2-of-9 from 3, and even that line would imply more positive impact that Curry actually had. Again, he's drawing a lot of defensive attention, and good for him. That matters. But that's not even close to enough for a player of his caliber in a series with these kinds of stakes. 

For a long time there's been a very false narrative that Curry doesn't perform in the playoffs. It's bogus. He actually has some of the better postseason numbers in history. But he is playing legitimately bad right now. There's no other way to say it. 

Recap of live updates

If you missed anything, CBS Sports followed all of the action live from Game 3 between the Warriors and the Rockets. If the live blog does not automatically load for you please click here.

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