The Houston Rockets took a severe beating in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, 126-85. The score says it all. They just didn't possess the firepower they had the game before. Superstar James Harden wholeheartedly concurred with head coach Mike D'Antoni, admitting that they were too slow and too soft.

As reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, Harden said:

“He’s right. We weren’t as aggressive as we needed to be. We started off the game pretty solid and we let them gain some confidence. They didn't feel us and it showed tonight.”

Below is a clip posted by NBA TV, featuring Harden:

Harden had a decent showing, scoring 20 points, snagging five rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. However, he turned the ball over four times. As a team, they had a total of 19 turnovers.

As expected, the Warriors' win was catapulted by a strong third quarter performance. They scored 34 points in the third quarter alone while the Rockets logged in 24.

And this momentum was carried over the to the fourth as the Warriors broke away with 38 points. The Rockets, meanwhile, looked lost and demotivated, scoring just 18 points in the final quarter.

The Rockets, however, should've known better. Almost everyone is aware that the third quarter is where the Warriors do their damage. According to statistics culled by NBA.com, the Warriors have an 18.5 net rating in the third quarter in the regular season. This is the best in the league, with the Denver Nuggets trailing in second with a net rating of 7.8. In the playoffs, the Warriors' net rating in the third has ballooned to 26.