Finally: Warriors and Rockets clash in semis
The buildup for this series truly began in February, with some pointed comments from Golden State’s Draymond Green.
Or in October, when Houston won at Golden State on ring night.
Or in June, when the Rockets landed Chris Paul.
Whenever it started, however it started, it’s clear that this is the series that the National Basketball Association-watching world wanted. Western Conference final, Golden State versus Houston, Game 1 on Monday on the Rockets’ home floor. Series winner to the NBA finals, series loser will undoubtedly feel like they let a championship ring slip away.
“They got us. We got them,” Green said. “Got to go out there and play. We’ll see who better.”
After more than 10 months of playing, posturing and some pontificating, it really is that simple.
This Rockets team was assembled — the key being the trade for Paul last summer — with hopes of unseating the reigning champion Warriors from their perch atop the NBA. So far, so good. Houston set a franchise record with 65 wins in the regular season, went 2-1 against the Warriors in games that were hyped at the time though seem meaningless now, and has the likely MVP in
James Harden.
But how this Houston season will be remembered hinges largely on the outcome of this series.
“Everybody at the beginning of the year thinks they’ve got a chance to be here,” Houston’s P.J. Tucker said. “Everybody talks about winning. Everybody talks about fighting for a championship . ... We really believed it. We’re really fighting to get there. This is not a game. Everybody takes their job serious.”
He’s right on all counts, particularly on the talking.
And the talking will most definitely continue over the next few days. With five full off days between the Warriors’ and Rockets’ respective second-round clinchers on Tuesday and Game 1 of their series, a lot of people will be saying a lot of somethings.
For as great as LeBron James has been, again, the West matchup is going to overshadow the East finals between
Cleveland and either Boston or Philadelphia.
That’s no disrespect to the East; that’s just reality given the seasons that the Warriors and Rockets have had, and the collision course that seemed so inevitable for either to avoid.
The three Warriors-Rockets games were about as anticipated as any in the regular season: Golden State lost two of the three, and the final combined score of those matchups was Warriors 353, Rockets 352.
The verbal jousts between the Warriors and Rockets go back to the pre-season, with Green questioning Houston’s commitment to defence.
And after Houston beat Golden State 122-121 on opening night of the season, that prompted Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni to turn that phrase back around on Green.
It picked up in January, when the teams split a pair of games. And in February, Green told Sports Illustrated that he knew the Rockets were focused on knocking the Warriors off.
“Noted. Great. We’ll see y’all soon,” Green said then.
Soon, now, has a definitive date.
Soon is Monday.