3 reasons the Golden State Warriors always struggle against the Houston Rockets

Gritty shooters that know their role

At the end of the day, you know what you’re going to get from Capela, Harden and Paul. Typically, against the Warriors, Harden won’t be the sole reason for success, neither will Capela or Paul. Who will ultimately determine the Rockets success is Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, and PJ Tucker.

They are the X-factors.

Last night, Gordon had 25, Tucker 18, and Green 10. Oftentimes it isn’t their scoring that matters most, it’s their efficiency. Tucket was 5-for-11 from the field while Green was 4-for-8. While not overly impressive, the trio combined for just four turnovers as well.

The best part about the trio is that they know their role, and they do it well.

Tucker is a gritty, defensive-minded corner sniper. That’s what he does. With two huge back-to-back defensive plays, Tucker made his presence felt on the defensive end against Golden State.

Gordon is the opposite. He’s the third go-to option for Houston. He put up 25 which included a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line and an overall +8 while on the court. Green is a combination of the two, wildly shooting and scoring while most of the time playing excellent defense.

Overall, their team is one of the only teams capable of beating Golden State, and during the regular season, they’ve proven to be up to the challenge.