Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from Game 1 victory vs. Rockets

3. The Splash Brothers looked normal

The dynamic duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson was questionable to appear in the team’s Game 1 battle with the Rockets. Both had sustained ankle injuries in Golden State’s Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the previous round, with Steve Kerr going so far as to describe Klay’s injury as “significant.”

The Splash Brothers would indeed suit up for the opening game of this series, although neither looked like their normal selves. Despite a big-time 3-pointer that put the Dubs up five late in the game, Curry finished the game just 5-of-12 overall and 3-of-10 from beyond the arc with 18 points in 37 minutes.

In 41 minutes of action, Thompson wasn’t any better, registering only 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field. This was a far cry from the 17.3 points per game on 46.5 percent shooting he averaged in Golden State’s first round series.

Curry has long been considered the engine making this Warriors team go. The gravity of his shooting prowess, coupled with legs always in motion, creates looks for both himself and others that can’t be replicated by another player. The Warriors have gotten by with Klay’s struggles in the past, but his excellence creates unsolvable problems for even the best of opposing defenses.

We saw what a hobbled Curry means to this team in 2016. If either he or Thompson is compromised, Golden State might not possess the offensive firepower to compete with the Rockets for however long this series may last.