Curry’s Shooting, Warriors’ Defense Shines In Game One Victory Over Rockets

If there’s one truth about the NBA playoffs, it’s that seeding rarely matters these days. While the higher seeds are higher for a reason, lower seeds have a much better chance than they used to.

Plenty of mid-seeded teams make deep runs during the postseason, with some getting all the way to the Finals.

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

That could very well be the case with the Golden State Warriors

While the team battled through the play-in game and barely snuck into the postseason, they are a dangerous squad. They have talent, experience, hustle, and one of the most explosive offenses in the NBA.

All of that, and more, was on display against the two-seed Rockets on Monday night.

An Insurmountable Quarter

Despite the Rockets being favored, and despite them being at home, the game felt like anything but a lock.

The Warriors have proven to be one of the most resilient teams in the NBA, and adding Jimmy Butler only made them better.

At home with a lot of momentum, Houston went up by three at the end of the first quarter. They played strong defense, holding the Warriors to eighteen points, and found their shots.

Then, things changed. In true Warrior fashion, Golden State exploded to a 29-13 second quarter that gave them a generous thirteen point halftime lead.

While the Rockets still had a chance, winning the third quarter by four, the Warriors were happy to trade baskets down the stretch and leverage their advantage into a 95-85 victory.

It wasn’t a flashy win, nor was it one with a ton of offense, but it shows just how ready the Warriors are for the big time. They are a seven seed in name only, and one that could easily make some noise in these playoffs.

A Star Duo

The Warriors went all-in on Butler and Curry this year, making a trade they hoped would both salvage their season and give their star point guard a chance at a fifth ring.

One game into the playoffs, it seems everything is coming to fruition

Both players led the way Monday night. Curry put up 31 points and Butler added 25 of his own.

While that didn’t lead to a ton of opportunities for the bench, the Warriors were more than happy leaning on their stars.

The duo is one of the best in the league, and will continue to put up huge numbers going forward. That’s a fact they both recognize.

“Jimmy’s nice,” Curry said of Butler after the game. “Don’t get that twisted

He’s carried teams to the Finals and the idea of what he brings to us is another guy that’s just comfortable with the ball in his hands to create for himself and for others. No matter what the situation is.”

Butler also had plenty of great things to say about his teammate. He likened a lot of what Curry does to a superhero, showing just how much he means to the team as a whole.

“Batman comes out of nowhere,” Butler said. “You never see him coming, and then he falls from the sky, from a building, behind a door, and does some incredible things.”

A Defensive Effort

The Warriors took game one on the road by leaning on their two superstars. They set up their plays, gave them plenty of shots, and ran the offense through their scoring ability.

That same set up didn’t work for the Lakers in their first game, but it did for Golden State because of their defense.

It’s easy to get caught up in the Warriors’ offensive ability

Curry is the best shooter of all time, Butler can get to the rim in a variety of ways, and the bench has plenty of firepower too. However, they beat Houston on the other side of the ball.

The Rockets only scored 85 points in game one, which is shockingly low for a team with so much talent.

The Warriors ran them off of their spots, rebounded well, hustled up and down the court, and didn’t give up an inch at any point in the game.

That type of tenacity is what the Warriors need to bring to the table every night. If they can keep up their intensity, Curry and Butler won’t need to do as much down the line.

The less they need to do, the easier it will be for the Warriors to go the distance

One game does not make a series. Even so, the Warriors first win is a solid indicator of what they need to do moving forward. They are a young team led by veteran stars. Blending the strength of each will get them into the next round.