Before entering an extended rebuilding that required five seasons to complete, Houston Rockets’ after -seasonal history was unclear to the Golden State Warriors.
During a five -year distance last decade, the team squared four times in the playoffs. Warriors won each series, including preventing the rockets from moving on to the NBA final 2015 and 2018 by taking the Western Conference Finals in five and seven matches respectively.
After spending four seasons in Purgatory position, Rockets came up this campaign and surprised the NBA by serving the second seed in the west. As a reward, Houston drew its Nemesis-No. 7 Seed Golden State-and her first round of opponents, with game 1 of the best-seven series set for Sunday.
“This is not that team and that is not that team,” Rockets guard Fred Vanvleet said. “It’s a new year. With the acquisition they made at the deadline (Jimmy Butler), obviously they have been on a heater. They are one of the best teams in the league in recent months. We understand it.
“Respect your opponent. You have to go out and tip them.”
While Rockets’ guard list has been waiting since the team met in the playoffs, Warriors has a trio of holding from the 2019 Western Conference semi -final that Golden State won in six matches over Houston: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney.
Although the distant past is not a prologue, the season between the teams can offer a look at what can be developed. Warriors won the series 3-2, including a couple of victories in Houston.
Rockets, however, took the last meeting 106-96 at the Golden State on April 6. It marked Houston’s second victory in three meetings after Warriors won 15 in a row.
That victory also showed what made Houston a strength this season, its defensive versatility in the leadership.
“I think we have seen what works for us, which lineups work well, and then it is obviously play after play,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka. “There will be some chess matches as far as they try to do, what we try to do and who can introduce their will with certain range.
“I think our versatility is one of our biggest strengths. We can go small, large, zone and all the different things like that. It feels like we have a lot in our toolbox now.”
Rocket’s limited curry to three points on 1-for-10 shooting two weeks ago, with defensive prominent amen Thompson spearhead for charging. Rocket’s physicality was a point of conversation after the competition, one that contained several chippy exchanges between the teams.
“There is a reason why law must be physical against Steph,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “He is the biggest shooter and the relocator of all time in this game, and so we would try to protect him in exactly the same way. Everyone will try to put his best athletes on him, be physical with him. It’s all part of the equation. It’s not something we worry about.”
With green as the head of his snake, Warriors knows one thing or two about defensive toughness, especially in the playoffs. Warriors are unpleasant about Rocket’s defensive strategy against curry and undisturbed over the potential of a physical series.
If Houston strives to fight in the clay, the warriors are well equipped to do the same.
“By the way, we are also a very physical team,” Kerr said. “We have been very well defensively in the playoffs by playing a physical game, so I welcome all this.
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