Analyzing Warriors vs. Rockets and how the series will look
- ThatManChe
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
The Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, 121-116. The new duo of Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry thrived, with Steph going for 37 and Jimmy Butler going for 38 points. The star-studded duo proved what they could be, and if they play that way every night, the Warriors may be unbeatable.
What’s at Stake?
For the Warriors
If the Warriors come up short in this series, it will simply be disappointing. Jimmy and Steph can’t waste any more opportunities in their careers because they are getting older and older. If the Warriors lost, they would really need to work to retool the roster around the duo going into next year and probably try to find a new 3rd scoring option.
For the Rockets
Simply put, if the Rockets went out in the first round, it would also be disappointing in a way. At the end of the day, the Rockets are the 2 seed and the Warriors are the 7. Every time a 2 seed loses to a 7, it just is underwhelming and disappointing. The Rockets would probably be fine in the long run and be right back next season, but every time you get a 2 seed, you should have championship aspirations no matter what.
Warriors Advantages
The Warriors have some advantages and disadvantages in this series; the same goes for the Rockets. A couple of the Warriors advantages are
Having the 2 best players on the court
The playoff and championship experience
Elite guard play
Rockets Advantages
Looking at this matchup, the Rockets have a lot of smaller advantages, and it seems like the Warriors have the big ones. Some of those Rockets advantages are.
A very solid coach to help match Steve Kerr
Youth/speed of play and stamina
Elite depth all around
Better front-court play than Golden State
Not a star-based team; 5+ players can score 20+ points—a lot of scoring and offensive balance.
3 biggest matchups in this series
Alperen Sengun vs. the Warriors Frontcourt
Sengun has had some inconsistency this year against the Warriors, a couple of bad games and a couple of very good ones. It will be important for him to establish himself early in the series and have consistency against whether it be Draymond Green, Kevin Looney, Jimmy Butler, or maybe even Trayce Jackson-Davis .
Jimmy Butler vs. Dillion Brooks
On April 6th, the Rockets went to Golden State and got a win, 106-96. In that Warriors loss, Jimmy Butler was held to 13 points, and Dillon Brooks had 24. We all know how much Dillon Brooks and Jimmy Butler like to play the villain role, and now they will both go up against each other. Expect some trash talk to occur in this series.
Steve Kerr vs. Ime Udoka
The coaching matchup in this series is very important and will be key to the winner. The last time these 2 coaches battled, Steve Kerr got the job done in the 2022 Finals and beat Udoka and the Celtics in 6 games. One of the best, if not the best, defensive coaches in the league going up against the coach who helped change the game offensively. It will be a classic coaching duel, and we will see who comes out on top.
Final Analysis and Predictions
The Rockets in this series need to play with elite pace, and they simply are going to have to outwork the Warriors. It will not be easy to do that, though, especially with the Warriors having the 2 best players on the court and 2 guys who know how to play tough playoff basketball. If the Rockets won this series, it would be a turning point for the franchise. I just can’t go against Stephen Curry. Give me Warriors in 7, and this ends up being a very similar series to Kings vs. Warriors in 2023. The Rockets give it all they have but just can’t beat greatness. The Warriors will beat the Rockets once again in the playoffs, just like they have done plenty of times in the past.
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