Harden's 45 keep Rockets alive

James Harden scored a playoff career-high 45 points and the Houston Rockets led from start to finish to avoid elimination in the Western Conference finals with a 128-115 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors in Game 4 Monday night.

The Warriors lead three games to one with Game 5 set for Wednesday night in Oakland, Calif.

The Rockets used a playoff record-tying, 45-point first quarter to build a big lead. They were up by 22 in the second quarter when Stephen Curry landed on his head in a nasty spill and missed about 12 minutes before returning.

His first field goal after returning came on a three-pointer that got Golden State within six points with less than 8 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game. But Harden, who had 17 points in the fourth quarter, scored the next seven points as part of 10 straight by Houston to push the lead to 114-98.

Klay Thompson had 24 points and Curry added 23 for Golden State.

Houston bounced back from a 3-1 deficit to the Clippers in the conference semifinals. But the Rockets face a much bigger challenge, as no team in NBA history has won a playoff series after trailing by 3-0.

Dwight Howard had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and received a Flagrant 1 foul early in the third quarter after throwing an elbow at Andrew Bogut's head. He would be suspended by accumulation of flagrant foul points if the NBA upgrades it to a Flagrant 2 after review.

The Warriors made 20 three-pointers and Houston had 17 to set an NBA record for most three-pointers combined in a playoff game.

Curry was injured after he jumped in the air as Trevor Ariza was about to go up for a shot. Ariza saw him and stopped abruptly, causing Curry to be upended in midair when he crashed into Ariza's shoulder. His head and shoulder hit the court first and he remained on the floor for several minutes.

Curry looked dazed as he was attended to before walking off the court.

LeBron James hurts.

One win from taking the Cavaliers back to the NBA Finals, and one step closer to a title he covets more than any other, James leaned against a padded wall Monday and hardly resembled basketball's most undeniable force.

"I'm feeling all right," he said, forcing a smile that showed he wasn't being entirely truthful.

James moved slowly and not with his usual grace one day after his brilliant performance in Game 3 lifted Cleveland to a 114-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks in overtime, moving the Cavs within a victory of their first NBA Finals appearance since 2007.

James wore a sleeve on his right calf, which cramped so severely he asked to be taken out Sunday night before reconsidering. Instead, he pushed through the pain and delivered 37 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists - all after an 0-for-10 shooting start - to help the Cavs take a three-games-to-none series lead.

He's battered, not beaten. "When you want to win, you've got to sacrifice your body feeling good," he said.

With a win Tuesday night, the Cavs can clinch the Eastern Conference title and get some rest before a Finals matchup presumably against Golden State. James has been down this path before, but never one so bumpy.

Cleveland's season has been strewn with obstacles: extreme expectations, chemistry issues, trades and injuries, including ones in the postseason to forward Kevin Love and all-star point guard Kyrie Irving, who has missed the last two games with an injured left knee and will be a game-time decision.