Blue Man Hoop
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Golden State Warriors Rout Rockets, Sweep Season Series

By Eric He

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Final. 113. 169. 126. 41

If James Harden still believes the Golden State Warriors “ain’t that good,” he may want to watch the tape of this game.

The Warriors dominated the Rockets on Wednesday night in a 126-113 win, their 17th consecutive home win. They also have won all four matchups against the Rockets this season, all by double-digits.

The Splash Brothers led the way, as Klay Thompson had 27 and Stephen Curry finished with 22. Harden had 33 for the Rockets in a losing effort — he was the only Houston starter to score in double-digits.

Already up 20 at the half, the Warriors came out strong in the third quarter — the starting lineup dominating to conclude matters rather early. A three by Harrison Barnes from the wing gave the Warriors a 72-47 lead three minutes in.

Tempers flared with the game out of hand in the third. Curry, jostling with Rockets’ guard Patrick Beverley, picked up a technical foul. On the ensuing Rockets’ possession, Curry was called for setting an illegal screen on Trevor Ariza. Ariza then barked at Curry, who went after him and had to be restrained by Draymond Green. After the officials reviewed the incident, they issued just one technical to Ariza for instigating.

Later in the quarter, Josh Smith was given two quick technicals and ejected after being upset over a non-foul call.

All in all, the Warriors pushed the lead up to 102-78 after three quarters, scoring 40 points in the third, finished off by a David Lee tip-in at the buzzer.

Lee, on another note, recorded his 10,000th career point with a basket at 6:35 of the fourth quarter, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

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In what was supposed to be garbage time, the Rockets cut a one-time 30-point Warriors down to 11 with over three minutes to play in the game, going on an 8-0 run and forcing Steve Kerr to bring Curry and Thompson back in. Thompson sealed the deal with a wing three to put the Warriors up 119-107 late.

The Warriors opened up a double-digit lead in the first quarter, going on a 24-12 run midway through, capped off by a couple of layups by Curry, who had 12 in the quarter. Golden State led 30-18 at the 3:39 mark. The Rockets, though, ended the quarter on an 11-2 burst of their own, paced by 13 points from Harden, eight of those coming on free throws alone.

In the first, the Warriors had 17 fastbreak points to the Rockets’ none, a theme that seemed to epitomize the night.

Curry and the Warriors built the lead back up in the second quarter, going on a 9-0 run to take a 51-39 advantage midway through. Curry hit a one-foot running jumper — almost a horse shot — at 5:28 that forced the Rockets to take a timeout. On the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors were just as solid, holding the Rockets without a field goal for a stretch of over five minutes. Meanwhile, a couple of three-pointers, a put-back lay-up, and two free throws by Thompson — who led the Warriors with 18 in the half — late gave the Warriors their largest lead of the night into halftime at 62-42.

From being tied 36-36 with nine minutes to play in the half, the Warriors blew the game wide open.

Tale of the Tape

Warriors

  • Field-goal percentage: 50.0% (49-98)
  • Three-point percentage: 44.8% (13-29)
  • Rebounds: 46
  • Assists: 25
  • Turnovers: 19

Rockets

  • Field-goal percentage: 42.5% (37-87)
  • Three-point percentage: 40.6% (13-32)
  • Rebounds: 46
  • Assists: 23
  • Turnovers: 18

Good to Know

The Warriors become just the 10th team in NBA history to begin a season with a record of 34-6. They are on pace for 70 wins.

What’s on Tap

The Warriors take on the Kings at Oracle Arena on Friday night.

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