Golden State Warriors: Why the One Loss Isn’t That Bad

The Golden State Warriors missed their chance to wrap up the series against the Houston Rockets last night, falling to a 15-point loss in Houston. While the loss is disappointing, it isn’t all doom and gloom as some fans might lead you to believe.

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The win took everything from the Rockets. They posted 45 points in the first quarter – a record playoff high, and finished the half with the highest field-goal percentage in playoff history. Six of their players finished in double digits, and needed 45 points from James Harden to seal the win.

Last night was the perfect example of an aberration. The Rockets had Trevor Ariza score 17 points, and Josh Smith had 20 points. Smith, in particular, was more surprising – he shot 7-of-8 from the field, and was 3-of-4 from the three-point line. It was his best shooting performance in the playoffs by far, and he is unlikely to repeat it.

The Warriors also had to deal with a nasty fall to Stephen Curry. After attempting to block Ariza’s shot in the second quarter, Curry took a nasty spill and fell on his back. He left the game to receive medical treatment, and only returned midway through the third quarter. While he was healthy enough to play, it was clear that he was still a bit shaken up.

According to Curry himself, he went through the standard concussion protocol before returning, but also described it as the “scariest fall of my career”. His first shot upon returning was an airball, and the second try was blocked by Terrence Jones. He finished with 23 points on 7-of-18 shooting.

And despite everything that was going against them, the Warriors were still within striking distance near the end of the game. They were down by seven points with 9:26 left to go in the final quarter, and we’ve all seen what the Warriors can do to slim leads all season long.

Finishing the Conference Finals with a sweep would have been perfect for the Warriors, who were 7-0 against the Rockets this season (in both the regular and postseason). However, all things considered, the Warriors’ loss was not as disappointing as the final score suggests. The most important thing is that Curry is healthy, and the Warriors return to Oakland for Game Five, where they have only lost once during this entire postseason.

The chance for a “sweep” may be over, but the dream of a “gentleman’s sweep” is still very much alive.

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