As the Golden State Warriors lost 106-96 to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, they not only seemingly lost their grasp on a strong chance to earn home-court advantage in the first round of playoffs, but also slipped back down into danger of being involved in the Play-In Tournament.
The Rockets, who could still be a possible playoff matchup for the Warriors in the first-round, showed all their cards early on in the game as they double-teamed superstar Stephen Curry and simultaneously hindered Jimmy Butler's ability to conduct his offense around the basket.
Over the five games prior to the Houston matchup, Curry was averaging an absurd 32.2 points and 6.2 assists. Against the Rockets however, Curry was held to only three points on 10 shot attempts, limiting Golden State's offense to a point that they were not able to overcome.
Yet in Curry's offensive absence, shooting guard Buddy Hield had his best game in almost a month and showcased why he could be vital to the team as they enter the playoffs.
Buddy Hield needs to score if the Warriors are to have a deep playoff run
Hield, who has oscillated in and out of the Warriors' starting lineup this season in the midst of their backcourt turmoil, led the team in scoring against the Rockets with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting (54.5%) from 3-point range.
Over the 21 games prior to the Houston matchup, Hield's production had dipped dramatically as he averaged 9.3 points, three rebounds and 1.8 assists, while shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc.
While Curry has been playing at a superstar level recently, often carrying Golden State on his back through the clutch stretches of tough games, the Rockets gave the team a preview of how tough defensive teams might approach the Warriors during the playoffs.
While it is unlikely that teams will be able to shut both Curry and Butler down through the entirety of a seven-game series, Golden State's inability to create sufficient offense against the Rockets should be a major concern.
In addition to Hield, the Warriors have another shooter who has emerged back into the limelight at the perfect time -- Brandin Podziemski. In his past five games, Podziemski has been on a tear, averaging 21.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists. The second-year guard has officially shaken off the rust on his shooting form that plagued him throughout the early portions of this season, shooting 57.5% from 3-point range in this recent span.
Although Podziemski and Hield's performances were not sufficient to beat the Rockets, their return to form will continue to become more and more important as teams start to game-plan specifically against the Warriors and their new star duo of Curry and Butler.