SAN FRANCISCO — It took longer than they needed, however the Warriors’ first-round playoff matchup is ready.
With an exhilarating 121-116 win over the Grizzlies within the play-in match Tuesday, Golden State earned the seventh seed within the Western Convention and can rekindle an previous rivalry to open the NBA playoffs.
The Houston Rockets await, although they’re a distinct group than the one Steph Curry and Co. ousted on 4 of their 5 journeys to the NBA Finals from 2015-19.
The storyline: There received’t be James Harden or Chris Paul on the opposing bench this time, however of their place is the bounty of a rebuild that blossomed into one of many league’s most enjoyable squads this season below coach Ime Udoka.
Udoka, whom you’ll keep in mind from the Warriors’ 2022 NBA Finals battle with Boston, has a gifted, younger group of athletes totally purchased into the his intense defensive model. The coach confirmed within the groups’ most up-to-date matchup that he isn’t afraid to combine it up himself, jawing with Steph Curry simply earlier than halftime in regards to the Rockets’ bodily protection.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr must discover a option to counter the size the Rockets get from Amen Thompson (14.1 ppg, 8.2 reb), Jabari Smith Jr. (12.2 ppg, 7.0 reb) and Tari Eason (12.0 ppg, 6.4 reb), the scale they’ve down low in Alperen Sengun (19.1 ppg, 10.2 reb) and Steven Adams, and the pure scoring skill of Jalen Inexperienced (21.0 ppg). And certain to stir issues up, Dillon Brooks (14.0 ppg) offers one other character from Golden State’s postseason previous.
The schedule
• Recreation 1: Warriors at Rockets (Solar., April 20, 6:30 p.m. PT, NBCSBA/TNT)• Recreation 2: Warriors at Rockets (Wed., April 23, 6:30 p.m. PT, NBCSBA/TNT)• Recreation 3: Rockets at Warriors (Sat., April 26, 5:30 p.m. PT, ABC)• Recreation 4: Rockets at Warriors (Mon., April 28, 7 p.m. PT, NBCSBA/TNT)• Recreation 5: Warriors at Rockets (Wed., April 30, time/TV TBD)*• Recreation 6: Rockets at Warriors (Fri., Might 2, time/TV TBD)*• Recreation 7: Warriors at Rockets (Solar., Might 4, time/TV TBD)**=if crucial
Season collection: GSW 3, HOU 2
127-121 GSW (Nov. 2)99-93 GSW (Dec. 5)91-90 HOU (Dec. 11)105-98 GSW (Feb. 13)106-96 HOU (April 6)
The Rockets are answerable for one in every of simply seven losses the Warriors have been handed since Jimmy Butler III debuted on Feb. 8. Houston blitzed Curry for 48 minutes and contained him to three factors on 1-of-10 taking pictures. Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield mixed to empty 10 3-pointers, however Golden State turned the ball over 20 instances.
It went higher for the Warriors of their first post-trade deadline assembly, getting 27 factors from Curry and 19 from Butler in his fourth sport with Golden State, however Houston was taking part in with out Eason and Fred VanVleet (14.1 ppg, 5.6 ast) within the 105-98 loss.
Key stat: 109 vs. 110.3
The collection guarantees to be a brawl.
Whereas the Warriors have been the NBA’s greatest defensive group since including Butler, the Rockets have been doing all of it season. Golden State has allowed 109 factors per 100 possessions in 31 video games with Butler; Houston has allowed 110.3 per 100 over the course of 82 video games.
The Rockets additionally crash the glass and create second possibilities higher than anybody, main the NBA with 48.5 rebounds per sport and a league-best 14.6 on offense.
X issue: Playoff expertise
The Rockets could also be on the rise, however the Warriors are clever with expertise.
The long run seems shiny in Houston, and the Rockets’ common season was spectacular. However the truth stays that they haven’t confirmed they will do it when the lights are the brightest.
The identical can’t be stated for a group led by Curry, Draymond Inexperienced and Butler. The three have mixed to play extra postseason video games (448) than the Rockets’ whole roster.
Jalen Inexperienced, Segun and Thompson make up Houston’s three-headed monster, and this weekend would be the postseason debuts for all three of them.
Initially Revealed: April 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM PDT
