#2 Houston Rockets vs #7 Golden State Warriors Preview

After making it through the play-in tournament, the Golden State Warriors have secured the seventh seed and will face the two-seeded Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It will be an interesting series to watch, pitting the young Houston Rockets against two of the most experienced playoff performers in the NBA, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. The two teams also boast excellent defenses, so it will be a battle on both ends. Many doubt the Rockets’ offense, and the Warriors are a popular upset pick, but it could go either way.

The Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been one of the biggest surprises of the NBA season. After seasons of missing the playoffs, the team suddenly surged to become a top team in the Western Conference. Led by Head Coach Ime Udoka, Houston has built a hard-nosed culture. They want to play physical and hounding defense. This defense is led by Amen Thompson. Thompson took a leap in his second season, becoming one of the NBA’s premier perimeter defenders. His offense has also improved, especially when attacking the basket. His length and athleticism make him a nuisance for any opposing team.

On offense, the Houston Rockets’ production depends on the night. The team’s sole All-Star, Alperen Sengun, averaged 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Jalen Green was the team’s leading scorer, averaging 21.0 points per game. But many of Houston’s scoring threats, like Green, Fred VanVleet, and Dillon Brooks, are streaky. They can catch fire on a night and make seven three-pointers, but they can also have cold, inefficient games.

But one thing that can offset the Houston Rockets’ hot and cold offense is their rebounding. Lately, the team has run a double big lineup of Sengun and Steven Adams. The two centers have dominated the interior, pulling down rebounds and giving the offense ample scoring chances. This lineup will also make life difficult for Golden State players trying to score in the paint. The defense and rebounding are their greatest strength, but they will need the offense to step up in crunch time. They’ve done it in the regular season, defeating many elite teams, but now they will be tested in a playoff series.

The Golden State Warriors

While the Houston Rockets have been one of the surprises of this season, the Warriors had one of the biggest midseason turnarounds. Before trading for Butler, Golden State was battling for a spot in the play-in tournament, but after adding Butler, they were one of the best teams in the NBA in the season’s final months. At one point, the Warriors were 27-27 but ended the season 21-7. Butler has played a huge role in the team’s turnaround. He has put his value on display in recent games, scoring 30 points in the final regular-season game against the Clippers and 38 in the play-in win over the Grizzlies.

They are also led by Curry. Curry is still one of the best players in the NBA and is the biggest star in this series. The last time Udoka faced Curry in a playoff series was the 2022 NBA Finals, when he coached the Boston Celtics. Udoka infamously played drop coverage on pick-and-rolls, and it did not work. Curry took over, leading the Warriors to a championship in six games and winning Finals MVP. The Houston Rockets have an elite defense, but Udoka may want to employ a new strategy for defending Curry.

Final Thoughts

The Houston Rockets and Warriors will be an interesting series to watch. Depending on the strategies both teams employ, it could go either way. Curry and Butler could carve up Udoka again, or the Rockets could out-hustle and out-muscle Golden State, showing why they belong on top of the Western Conference. Neither outcome would be surprising.