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

OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 28: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors high-fives Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors against the Houston Rockets during the Western Conference Semi-Finals of the NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4 of 4

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Warriors’ defensive effort

During the regular season, the Rockets were one of the best offensive units in the league. They ranked No. 1 in both 3-pointers made and attempted while scoring the fourth most points per game since the start of the new year.

In Game 1, the Warriors made Houston’s elite offense unrecognizable. It shot just 41.9 percent overall while hitting on only 14 of its 47 looks from downtown. The Rockets registered only 100 points on the day, a far cry from the 113.9 they put up on a nightly basis during the regular season.

James Harden was an unstoppable force all year long with the NBA’s highest scoring average since Michael Jordan over 30 years ago. He scored 35 points in 38 minutes, but the Dubs’ ability to switch pick-and-rolls while building a wall near the rim limited the MVP candidate to just three shots within the restricted area.

Golden State’s defensive effort has been a topic of conversation all season long. During the regular season, it was 22nd in defensive rating. In the playoffs, only the Denver Nuggets have a worse rating among those still in the championship hunt.

Next. Top 100 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season. dark

The Rockets were supposed to overwhelm the Warriors with their 3-point shooting and otherworldly offensive leader. There is still plenty of time to make that happen in this series, but if Golden State is locked in defensively and playing as a unit, it will be a lot harder to do so moving forward.

Home/Golden State Warriors