It feels like a long time ago, but it wasn’t.
In 2018, following a regular-season campaign that earned him the league’s MVP award, James Harden and the Houston Rockets had the defending champs on the ropes. After a slugfest Game 5 victory that was more reminiscent of the 90s, the Rockets held a 3-2 series lead over the mighty Golden State Warriors.
You likely know how that story ended. A Chris Paul injury and the worst shooting luck in NBA history led to Houston losing the series in seven games. The Warriors would go on to sweep the Cavaliers in the Finals.