The Golden State Warriors have beaten the Houston Rockets 104-90 in game five of the Western Conference finals, giving the top seeds a 4-1 series win.
The home side took more than two minutes to get off the mark, with James Harden making the most of a slow start by the Warriors to give the Rockets a five-point lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes soon put Golden State ahead in the second period though, while Stephen Curry showed no ill effects from the heavy tumble that he took during game four.
The Warriors went into half time in front, but Houston started the second half well, cutting the gap to just a single point within three minutes of the restart, before Curry and Festus Ezeli responded for the hosts.
Golden State made sure that the visitors did not get as close in the fourth quarter, with Barnes and Ezeli quickly piling on the points in the final spell to put the win beyond doubt.
The Warriors will compete in the Finals for the first time since 1975, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Sian Cowper
