by Dominic Arenas
After Saturday’s win against the Golden State Warriors, Rockets center Clint Capela stated, “We are better than them (the Golden State Warriors).” For fans that are aimlessly waiting for the playoffs, drama like this makes the regular season worth watching. However, the drive to sit atop the Western Conference and topple the defending champion Golden State Warriors will ultimately lead to Houston’s downfall in the postseason. Right now the infamous Locker Room Rockets sit at the center of all the drama: will Houston be the team to dethrone the Warriors? Can James Harden win MVP a year removed from losing to (getting robbed by) Russell Westbrook? Will their pettiness get in the way of their success?
The Golden State Warriors boast an 83 percent winning record over the course of three and a half seasons. The super team from the Bay Area has only lost 49 regular season games out of the 283 games played since 2014. When thinking about this stretch for Golden State, there is only one appropriate word: dominance. So, it came as a surprise to see the defending champions crumble in the closing minutes of Saturday’s showdown with the Houston Rockets.
Fans watching the game felt like they were being fast forwarded to the Western Conference Finals. Barring any injuries, it seems as if these powerhouses are on a collision course for a postseason matchup. Though the two organizations won’t openly admit the importance of this regular season game’s outcome, fans can use the footage to possibly answer the question, “Do the Rockets have what it takes? Or this one of those Warrior games where everything is out of whack?”
The Warriors are a different team when they turn the ball over. They’re also a different team when they do not “flip the switch.” This term of figuratively turning it on or only focusing in short spurts in games has developed into a habit for the Warriors. Adversely, during the times the Warriors are not “in the zone,” they tend to forfeit huge leads, commit turnovers, play one-on-one basketball and fall out of character. However, the Warriors are also the only team that can magically be down 15 points and then up by 10 in a few minutes. They’re that good. But, the Rockets have their number (at least for the time being).
In the final four minutes of regulation, the Warriors shot 1-8 from the field and 0-5 from three-point range. Stephen Curry committed, as he stated in a postgame interview, “two of the worst plays of the season,” both being missing an open Kevin Durant. Most cases when the Warriors “lose,” they beat themselves. In their two losses against the Houston Rockets, they did just that.
One advantage the Dubs have is the opponent’s attention and obsession. Rockets owner, Tilman Fertitta, has openly discussed being obsessed with beating the Warriors. Think about the psychological advantage the Golden State Warriors have over the Rockets. Beating Houston two times in the playoffs, Chris Paul being leap-frogged by Stephen Curry as the definitive best point guard of this generation and last but not least, the curse of Lil B, a.k.a. the Based God. As long as the curse is in place, their success in the regular season continues and the Warriors stay healthy and solve their turnover woes, the Rockets will crumble from the inside out. The culmination of this implosion? This year’s Western Conference Finals.
