Despite going up against a No. 2 seed as a No. 7 team that required a play-in victory to clinch a playoff spot, the Warriors were considered by oddsmakers to be solid favorites in their first-round series against the Rockets.
In a competitive Western Conference, Golden State finished the regular season with only four fewer wins than Houston and was the better team after adding Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, ranking third in the NBA in wins (23) and net rating (+9.2) between Butler’s debut and the end of the season. The Warriors also had a major edge in experience over the Rockets, whose young core would be playing in its first postseason series.
Through four games, it looked like the oddsmakers were right. The Warriors held a 3-1 series lead and had deployed their defense (ranked No. 1 in the NBA since Butler’s debut) to great effect, holding the Rockets to just 94.7 points per game in Houston’s three losses.
But the Rockets may have figured something out during the last two games, both of which they led from nearly start to finish. As the Warriors struggled to find five-man units they liked, subbing out starting guard Brandin Podziemski in Game 6 for Gary Payton II, Houston has found success with bigger lineups featuring center Steven Adams, who was a +30 in 48 minutes during those two victories.
And while it may not be sustainable, Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet has looked more like Stephen Curry than Curry himself in Games 5 and 6, knocking down 10-of-15 three-pointers (66.7%) and outscoring his Warriors counterpart by a 55-42 margin.
Jalen Green, Houston’s leading scorer during the season, still hasn’t found his groove in the playoffs — outside of his 38-point outburst in Game 2, he has averaged just 9.4 PPG on 30.2% shooting in the other five games. The Warriors also still have the experience advantage, as Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green are no strangers to Game 7 showdowns, whereas Rockets youngsters like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith will be experiencing one for the first time.
But the Rockets have the momentum, they have the home-court advantage, and they’ve made Golden State look old and tired over the last couple games, as Marcus Thompson II writes for The Athletic. Curry continues to battle a thumb issue, while Butler is coming off a pelvic contusion. It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if the veteran Warriors bring their A-games on Sunday, but it’s also unclear how much they have left in the tank.
With all that in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that oddsmakers are giving a slight edge to Houston — according to BetOnline.ag, the Rockets are 2.5-point favorites.
We want to know what you think. Will the Warriors hold off the young, upstart Rockets, or will Houston complete its comeback from a 3-1 deficit and set up a second-round matchup against Minnesota?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to make your predictions and share your thoughts!
Rockets are using the zone and Steven Adams. Kerr is blowing another 3-1 lead due to his shoddy coaching practices that leave GSW wide open to be exploited by bigs in a zone defense, as Kerr’s only counter is “play 4 SGs at once”. Aside from 6 years It’s been infuriating being a GSW fan all these years watching Kerr be legit a negative to the team. All he has to do is play his best and most talented players, and he refuses, always going small, always going to the garbage time/2way deepest guy on the bench for too long/for no reason.
Hope GSW can turn Kuminga into Bam or a big that plays defense and can rebound this offseason. I knew Kerr would blow this easy chip once again. 3 years in a row of underperformance says Kerr MUST go…..
Easy chip? What!? I’d be mildly surprised if they won it all tbh.
It’s an easy chip if Kerr knew how to develop players. He instead played 2way players who weren’t on the team the next year over Moody and Kuminga.
Lol.
Remember when Kuminga was a max salary player? Max salary players usually crack the rotation in the playoffs. Gui Santos has played more minutes than Kuminga. Whine about Kerr all you want, reality will be here waiting for you whenever you realize your window has been closed for awhile.
An easy chip. Comical. Because their talent level is so great compared to OKC, Boston and a half dozen other teams. Maybe Moody is just a garden variety player. Maybe Kuminga isn’t Bam. For starters, he’s way too small to be a big. Not to mention Bam is a special kind of dude, a gamer, tough, lots of heart. Is kuminga that guy? Nope.
Davey, your takes are a joke. Your team is ok. They have Steph so they’re fun. Get over it. They’re not supposed to win every year and it’s not the end of the world that they don’t.
Also… get offline bruh. It’s not a good look to always be the first commenter.
He is always the first one to comment. He must always be checking in here. Kuminga really doesn’t stand out to me either. He flashes, but he doesn’t have that “it” element.
Experience vs youth. Truth is Dillon and FVV have stepped up for Rockets. Their two vets they brought in. To help develop theur young core. It’s a game 7 in playoffs. I think Rockets learn that lesson tmrw night. Green finally wakes up …….
Not to mention Steven Adams. The Grizz have been trying to replace him since he left.
I’m going for Houston but think the Warriors will win. Either way, great matchup
Just curious if Steph is the best player on a on the team that blows another 3-1 lead. Wonder what that discussion is like.
I mean they are seven seed and had a halfway decent chance of missing the playoffs completely before the Butler trade. I don’t see how anyone can honestly think they were conquering the Western Conference this season and then beating the Celtics or Cavs.
Curry is just old now, he’s been relatively contained by superior athleticism. Jimmy cannot make wide open 3’s and Mr. Triple Single is a liability on both ends of the floor.
So how did they get up 3-1 then? The way you explain that you’re basically saying they had not shot from the start. So….. how were they up 3-1? Just saying if this was lebron about to possibly blow a 3-1 lead nobody would be taking about his teammates not making shots or that he is old. I just listened to the media and sports pundits talk about how disappointing 40 year old lebron was offensively in the 4th quarters of games 3-5.
Houston has 5 rotation players born 2001 or later, playing in their first NBA playoff series. I’d say it’s mostly inexperience that led to them being down 3-1.
I guess I’m just curious if we are going to hold Steph to the same standard we hold another “old” all time great to because like I said if this was LeBron the conversation would sound a whole lot different.
To be clear I think Steph is one of the 9-12 best players off all time but there was a lot of commentary this last year about him being the best PG of all time over Magic and that he should be in GOAT debate.
Seems like the media covers Lebron a whole lot different then they cover Steph when it comes to their failures/ coming up short.
I’m going to assume your frustration comes from LeBron being held to a higher standard than Steph, and I don’t think that’s a wrong observation, but LeBron is a way better basketball player, and he should be held to a higher standard.
Instead of lamenting why Steph gets a pass where LeBron doesn’t, maybe instead enjoy the fact that LeBron is still worthy of those expectations, while Steph is not.
You know when you’re right your right. Very nicely articulate sir.
The Warriors need to figure plenty of things out. The last two games, they’ve looked like they didn’t even belong on the court with Houston.
Kerr is infusing them with no energy, Kerr is using rotations that get cooked by zone defense, Kerr has no answer for Steven Adams on both sides, Kerr’s decision to chop Adams in 4Q was the dumbest thing I have ever seen, only topped by Kerr’s choice to chose not to close the game out with his 5 best players, which is only topped by Kerr’s choice to not use Kuminga for any reason, when he at minimum should have had him out there for the non-Jimmy minutes.
I wonder if there’s a simple fix here?
It still upsets me that Memphis moved on from Adams…
When you have a top three players of Green at 35, Butler at 35, and Curry at 37. Running on the idea this is a title contending roster with no solid big, a roster that is not that deep, with no room on the salary cap or draft picks to rebuild for another short term run for a title is not looking good for the Warriors, if you look at the rosters of another team (Suns) you could see a lot of similarities. Not saying they are the same but both franchises are heading to a rebuild that will take a few seasons. All three of these players have had great careers, but young talented players and better coaching will outrun an older team in a seven-game series, edge tonight to Houston just on future alone. The Warriors were there at one time a few years ago but they are not there now, time to rebuild Warriors put the past to rest.
All those older players are still very good. The roster has 5 under 22’s in the rotation. Kerr’s mantra over the last 5 years has been “go small” but Houston are also a very good team who can counter anyone going small.
What worries me is that Kerr will give unlimited minutes to 2way players but will never spend time to develop “twin towers” lineups. Its ALWAYS 4 or 5 SG’s or short players with Kerr. Buddy Hield should have been traded at the deadline for a bag of chips, GP2 should have been traded so Kerr stops relying on him as he makes crucial turnover after crucial turnover. This is not the depth a title winner requires. GSW is 1 piece away and that piece is a Bam Adebayo or Steven Adams-type big.
I homer voted for Houston, but as long as it’s a great game, I’m happy with whoever. Both teams will have earned that win.
Pulling for a Davey J meltdown
Already happening lol. What’s coming is a total Breakdown ……. looney toons.
It’ll be good either way for the Warriors. If they lose Steven Adams will give them all big hugs.
I always root for my warriors, but I have to go with the rockets. They have this young energy and athleticism the warrior struggle to keep up with. Amen Thompson is amazing. FVV is dialed in. The coaching, on the defensive end especially, has been terrific. Udoka is a great coach. I’m not optimistic.
Lakers fan here. I’m always down to watch Steph and I hope he goes on a run this postseason, but I ain’t putting $ on it. Rockets got the horses. That D is stifling. The future looks bright in H town. Hope they don’t blow it by giving up the farm for Durant. He can’t get you anywhere. Save that capital for Giannis. Warriors soon to be stuck in the lottery for a decade.
The warriors future does seem bleak. All that money in these old players. I don’t think SF has the same draw as LA and when Steph is gone the incentive to play there goes way down. We don’t have a ton of picks and our cap situation is going to a take a few years to clean up. It’s could be a tough stretch for sure.
Small ball does not work anymore. 2 Bigs is now the trend.
Joker-Gordon
Adams-Sengun
Gobert-Randle/Mcdaniels
In that group, and in all those years they’ve played in the NBA combined, how many championships do they have?
Joker Gordon about five years, Adam Sangun two years maybe? Gobert and sidekick of towns or Randall four years?
All that time and all those twin towers and there’s 1 championship. That’s it.
But of course it’s the latest shiny object and people jump all over it and have to have one set now for their own team.
Most recently it was athletic wing guys. Now it’s twin towers lol.
I see the Warriors winning tomorrow no problem.
This is the Rockets first go round and game 7 is a totally different animal.
Shots start clanking off the rim with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Free throws don’t fall and neither do threes. Legs get tight, arms get tight, and nervousness settles in.., while the veteran team who’s been there 100 times gets the job done.
I’m not surprised that Houston has come back after being down 3-1.
When you’re one win from a victory it’s easy to let off the gas a little bit.
Houston is very good as the number two seed in the very tough west so they’re not going to just roll over. They fight and they have a lot of pride so this is not unexpected at all.
Houston is tough but they don’t have the offense to withstand the fourth quarter yips that are inevitable with a young team.
Warriors win and move on to face another young athletic team, the Timberwolves and we do this all again.
The Warriors core have been here done that. So Rockets must make the others beat them. Being home helps a young team. Still see a tough close game. Only Green can change that. Offensively hasn’t been consistent. I think he wakes up this game. Jalen Green imo is a big key for the game. Rockets need to see the future this game.
Gm 7 gotta love it ……
Steven Adams is exactly what the Warriors have been needing for years.
Tough, physical, size, rebounding, shot blocking, screen setting, experience, team culture etc etc
He’s so often overlooked cause his numbers aren’t amazing or cause he hasn’t developed a three or whatever but he’s been huge for Houston and he was huge for Memphis and was a big part of OKC back in the day.
I said pre trade deadline they should have gone after him and old mate Davey J said Post is a better centre and Looney can do everything Adams can do.
Post in 6 playoff games is shooting 32.5% from the floor and 30% from 3. Combine him and Looneys numbers they are 7.7 points per games and 6.4 rebounds in 28 minutes per game. Whereas Adams is 21 minutes 6.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game with almost triple the amount of blocks and shooting almost 70% from the floor.
Even espn is tired of DirtyDra ……. Love to see Jalen posterize him. To end the series ….
link to nypost.com
Rockets will collapse under pressure.
But Kerr is trying his best with garbage talent, especially as Curry looks like he’s showing his age.
Kerr will shoot at least 60-70 threes in this game,just check numbers after game if you don’t believe
The Warriors shot 18-43 from three in the win.
Rockets are not losing game 7..
Warriors cannot match the depth and determination of the rockets… terrible way to finish year for Warriors.
Bet they give Kuminga playing time, he will make costly errors and then that further justifies a trade in off season.
Only way out is if Steph has miracle game, and rockets won’t let that happen.
This aged well. Who would have predicted that it was Hield who had a miracle game?
Warriors have got to put a leash on Draymond, he gets too involved with trying to play the refs, then they become part of Draymond game plan. Playing Houston in Houston you don’t need to add the refs to the Warrior defensive game plan. Draymond will lose focus on the Rockets and start yelling at the refs, then commit some stupid flagrant foul that only pulls all of his attention towards the refs after that, trying to intimidate the refs is not a winning defense.
I have no dog in this fight, just want to see a good game 7 and may the better team win with no Draymond BS on the court.