Three Things That Stood Out As the 25-26 Rockets Spoil the Return of a Four-Time NBA Champion
Golden State matched up against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets for the third and final time this season. Both of the two previous contests have offered down-to-the-wire entertainment, with Houston stealing an away game 104-100, and the Warriors evening the series with a 115-113 victory. The winner of this match would come out on top in the season series, but this contest was particularly significant for another reason. It marked the return of Stephen Curry, who the Warriors missed dearly as he got his first NBA action in a little over two months. He will kick off the three things that we learned from another nail-biting contest that saw Houston emerge victorious 117-116.
Curry’s Slow Start, but Fast Continuation
Number 30’s long-awaited return finally materialized on Sunday night, in a limited capacity. Despite being on a natural minutes restriction, the future Hall of Famer found a way to make an impact. He had a slow one for four start from the field, but he immediately got the treatment of a superstar. Houston often blitzed him on screens, wanting to force the ball out of his hands. It didn’t take long for the ball to fall through the net, and even though he played just 26 minutes, Curry scored 29 points on a team-high 21 field goal attempts. Crucially for the game’s timeline, the four-time NBA Champion missed his 10th three-point attempt with three seconds left in the game, which would’ve put Golden State up for good. Nevertheless, the storyline tonight was the champ’s return, and he once again put on a clinic.
A Problematic Night for Two Forwards
In this matchup, Kristaps Porziņģis served a special role. He was one of the few players Steve Kerr could deploy to counter the size of the Rockets, who have the tallest average height for a starting lineup this year. However, Porziņģis’ foul on Easter night limited him from the action, and he contributed just nine points in 23 minutes of play. Gui Santos, on the other hand, was incredibly inefficient. Though his total tally of 15 points was good enough for third-highest on the team, the Brazilian forward, who has stepped up in Curry’s absence, shot just 33% from the field. Both of these guys, especially the former all-star in Porzingis, will be relied on until the season’s end and need to show a better face.
A Reality That May Catch Up to the Warriors Soon
Life is usually less easy when you play catch-up. Oftentimes this year, the Warriors have trailed at halftime and have had to fight an uphill battle for wins. Despite playing a quality first quarter against Houston, the team’s second-quarter image was subpar. That trend continued in the third, and as much of a fight as they gave to overcome their deficit in the last quarter, the squad made matters a bucket too hard for themselves. Constantly playing at a disadvantage may be exposed in the playoffs, should the Warriors get there. If you give some rope to a good team, especially a first or second seed, they won’t be as forgiving as another team would be in the average regular-season game.
