Are The Golden State Warriors Threatened By The Rockets Anymore?
The Warriors faced the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, but is Houston even a threat so far this season?
As the Golden State Warriors head to Houston to take on James Harden and the Rockets, one could argue that nobody could foresee their respective situations this season. While Golden State has avoided a championship hangover and improved from last year, the Rockets have endured a sub-par season thus far. Houston has witnessed the firing of Kevin McHale, they’re a game under .500, while barely sitting at seventh place in the Western Conference.
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It’s shocking to think that this is the team that the Warriors faced in the Western Conference Finals, which begs the question: are the Rockets a legitimate threat anymore?
The answer to that question: no, they’re not.
Could the Rockets potentially win a single game against the Warriors? Possibly. But when we ask if Houston is a “legitimate” threat, we’re not talking about a single game. We’re asking if the Rockets are worthy opponent when it matters most: the playoffs. When the postseason comes around and if the Rockets clinch a playoff spot, there isn’t any reason to believe that they’ll be making much noise, much less that they’ll be an obstacle for the Warriors to repeat as champions.
The fact of the matter is that Golden State is a far superior team to the Rockets. The Warriors have much more depth, they’re not a one-dimensional team, and perhaps the biggest difference: their star players make the rest of the team better.
Why is it that a team with the likes of Harden and Dwight Howard don’t find themselves amongst the top teams in the NBA? Because when James Harden decides to hold onto the ball and play isolation, that doesn’t make his team better. When Dwight Howard doesn’t want to be the dominant center that he should be, and muscle his way into the paint or grab any rebound that comes his way, that doesn’t make his team better.
Why is Stephen Curry the MVP and best player in the game right now? Because he makes the right play for his team. That play could be knocking down a clutch three, making an assist to a cutting Harrison Barnes, or hitting Andrew Bogut for an alley-oop. Either way, he makes the right play.
Why does Draymond Green lead the league in triple-doubles and is sure to be an all-star this season? Because he does everything for his team, including the dirty work. He isn’t satisfied with scoring, he’d much rather get the rebound or dive for the loose ball. And why does he do this extra dirty work? To make his team better. Can the same be said for Harden and Howard? No it can’t.
Yes, the Rockets might be struggling after a coaching change in the first few games. But have people forgotten that the Warriors have been playing with an interim coach since the first game this season? While playing with a coaching change, the Rockets have mustered a 16-17 record. The Warriors? They’ve gone 29-2.
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For a team that was expected to be contender in the Western Conference, the Rockets have proven to be the exact opposite. Meanwhile, the Warriors have adopted the title of best in the league and have 29 wins to back that title. If someone is looking for a potential challenger to the defending champs, then the Rockets are not the team up for the task.
Golden State is a legitimate threat; the Rockets are not.