The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets kick off their much-anticipated first round matchup tonight, and, as the NBA world looks on, there is a distinct storyline developing.
Can the young, scrappy, upstart Rockets prevail over the veteran Warriors in a full seven-game series?
In the two teams' last matchup, the Rockets stifled the Warriors through their intense defense, holding Golden State to only 96 points and superstar Stephen Curry to a ludicrous three points.
Yet, just as much as this series will be a test of the Warriors' age and potential issues of fatigue, it will also be a test of the Rockets' ability to deliver when it's most needed: a fact that gives Curry and Jimmy Butler's squad a decided edge.
Curry and Butler can deliver where the Rockets can't
Throughout this season, the Warriors have found themselves in a seemingly endless string of games that end in clutch minutes. In fact, Golden State has played the second-most clutch games in the NBA, sitting at a 25-20 record in such scenarios.
Prior to the organization's acquisition of Butler, the team often relied upon the miraculous shot-making of Curry in order to lift them out of these situations. Yet, since Butler's arrival, the Warriors are 9-3 in clutch scenarios, showcasing, among many other factors, the impact that Butler has had on this Golden State roster.
Meanwhile, the Rockets, while they have a 26-18 record in clutch games, are dead last in the NBA in FG% and 27th in 3P% during clutch minutes.
The Warriors, across the length of the season, are admittedly not much better. They sit at 28th and 19th in those two categories, respectively.
Yet, with the addition of Butler, Golden State now has a second weapon they can rely upon in these tight, anxiety-inducing scenarios. Curry, in his 3.2 minutes on average of time in the clutch, has shot 37.3% on 3-point attempts and a ridiculous 94.9% from the free-throw line, averaging 3.6 points in these scenarios.
Butler, meanwhile, is averaging 1.8 points and shooting 94.1% from the free-throw line.
While the Rockets could presumably match the defensive intensity of the Warriors in tight games in the fourth quarter, their offensive drivers, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, are both young and inexperienced.
Therefore, Golden State's edge in this series centers around their ability to deliver when it is most vital, and, if they are able to put sufficient pressure on Sengun and Green in the final minutes of games, their veteran presence might just be what propels them to victory.