On this day: Warriors go down 3-2 in 2018 Western Conference Finals

The Warriors were on the brink of elimination after losing Game 5 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals.

The Golden State Warriors were one loss away from the Kevin Durant era not being as dominant as it was.

Flash back to May 24, 2018, when the Warriors were playing the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The two teams split the first four games, and the winner of Game 5 would take some momentum heading into the latter part of the series.

The Warriors lost 98-94 at the Toyota Center, and the Rockets took a 3-2 lead. Despite Kevin Durant scoring a team-high 29 points — albeit on 36.4% shooting — the Warriors’ offense had been stymied.

Golden State shot 44.4% from the field, an average percentage considering the team shot 50.3% from the floor during the regular season. Steph Curry scored 22 points, but his 3-pointers weren’t falling; he shot an uncharacteristic 2-of-8 from deep.

Though the Rockets’ defense locked in, their offense wasn’t as good as it could have been, either. Houston shot 37.2% from the field and 30.2% from the 3-point line. Eric Gordon scored a team-high 24 points off the bench. Chris Paul scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished six assists.

With Golden State being such an offensive juggernaut, the Rockets having a quality defensive performance was the difference.

Though the Warriors were on the brink of elimination, their performances in Game 6 and Game 7 showed why they’re the best team of the 2010s. During Game 6, Klay Thompson showed out. He scored a team-high 35 points and shot 9-of-14 from deep. Curry poured in 29 points and shot 35.7% from the 3-point line.

Game 7 was when the Rockets infamously missed 27 3-pointers in a row, and the Warriors clinched the series.

After a competitive series with the Rockets, the Warriors had no problem with the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning their second straight NBA Finals in a sweep.