It was as if we had all seen this film already. Stephen Curry’s warriors are faced with a team with younger legs and elite defenders, a team trying to push Golden State physically. Jimmy Butler in the lower row team, but by pocket, winning games at both ends.
New season. New opponent in Houston’s Rockets. Familiar result.
In a defensive struggle of a match, the Warriors had more firepower, especially in the clutch, and withdrew for a 95-85 victory which puts Golden State 1-0 in this first round series.
The difference was that Stephen Curry was doing things Stephen Curry on his way at 31 points.
It is unfair to say that the Rockets had no one who could do it, because there is only one player who could do this one.
Butler finished with 25 points, made defensive games and, with the match on the line, sealed the victory with a rider and a dunk. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody hit big shots late when called.
The Rockets had no scorers on which they could rely. During the season, they relied on a more egalitarian offense – everyone had their chance, had their night and there was no real pending order. Sunday evening, they needed it.
Alperen Sengun led Houston with 26 points, but when things got behind, it was often Amen Thompson trying to create, and he finished with eight points on 9 shots for the match. Jalen Green pulled 3 out of 15, Fred Vanvleet 4 out of 19, Tari Eason 3 out of 10.
“Some guys have fought offensively, you are not going to react excessively to a match,” said Houston Udoka coach after the match.
The Rockets often seemed bothered against a defense of the Warriors which was the best of the NBA after the stars break: Houston pulled 20.7% on 3 points and experienced 17 reversals. They left points all over the field, pulling only 11 out of 20 (55%) from the free throw line.
Houston can’t play like that and beat Golden State.
There are light points for rockets in the future, including the fact that they retaliated with a 20 -point deficit to make it a late game. There are “Just Just Better” points to resume to eliminate 3 points and free throws. In addition, the Rockets caught 22 offensive rebounds in the night.
However, the Rockets need someone to intensify as a Getter Getter, to have someone in whom he can trust the end of the games to make big games and set up teammates.
The Warriors have two of these guys and that was the difference in match 1.
