Rockets torch Spurs in series start
Early onslaught never weakens in Game 1 rout
SAN ANTONIO — In either the greatest adherence to a game plan ever or evidence that in addition to his more familiar skills James Harden is also clairvoyant, the Rockets’ superstar guard called it.
He needed only to sit on a mountaintop and gently stroke on his beard while offering his plan for the start of the Rockets’ series against the Spurs.
“Game 1, we have to get off to a really good start and try to ride that wave out through the entire game,” Harden said nine hours before the Rockets would begin pounding the Spurs in ways few could have imagined, rolling through a 126-99 romp to take a 1-0 lead in the Western Confer-
ence semifinals.
The Rockets led by as much as 39 before the ends of the benches took over for the final minutes. The 27-point win was tied for the fifth-largest in Rockets playoff history.
There was no way Harden could have imagined the way the Rockets would come out of the blocks on Monday, pounding the Spurs from the 3-point line to the rim, swarming defensively and crashing the boards, running like mad and excelling in nearly everything they did.
“There’s always two sides of every coin,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We played as well as we can play and they missed open shots. They had opportunities early, and it kind of got away from them.
“Our defense was really good. Jeff (Bzdelik, the Rockets assistant coach) did a great job preparing these guys and they did a great job locking in. The defense was good and we hit some shots. We don’t expect it to be like this always, but we need to defend and rebound like we did. The defense was key to everything.”
Inside dominance
The Spurs, however, did more than miss shots. Though they had some good looks inside, they got nothing from their big men, with David Lee, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol combining for 14 points with as many turnovers as field goals while Rockets center Clint Capela had 20 points and 13 rebounds, his first playoff double-double. With each missed shot, the Rockets ran and moved the ball even more rapidly to open shots, getting on a roll they had not enjoyed in weeks.
“We lost and they won and they played better,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. “Sure we competed, but I don’t think we executed in a very wise manner. We disobeyed a lot of basic basketball rules they could take advantage of.
“If we shoot quickly and shoot poorly, it’s going to be a fast break deal all night long. And they are better at that than we are. We have to play a lot smarter in every facet of the game.
“I thought they played really well in every facet.”
The Rockets made 22 of 50 3-pointers, the most ever for the Rockets in a playoff game and most ever against the Spurs in the playoffs.
“Pat (Beverley) made shots,” D’Antoni said. “Ryan (Anderson) made shots. Trevor (Ariza) made shots. Once everybody started making shots, then it was easy. Defense is always the key.
“We take what the offense produces and James is the producer. He reads it. If it’s Clint, if it’s Trevor, if it’s Ryan, if it’s Pat, he just picks out who he thinks is the right guy.”
When Harden was through by the end of the third quarter, he had scored 20 points with a career playoff-high 14 assists. Ariza led the Rockets with 23 points, and he and Anderson each more 3s, five and four, respectively, than either collected in the five games of the first round.
Their demolition of the Spurs, however, was far more complete than just hot shooting as the Rockets led by 30 at halftime.
Beyond even the big moments, the Rockets owned the little plays, from Harden’s three first-half steals to Lou Williams swatting away a Tony Parker drive. The Rockets were quicker to loose balls and even when not on the break, ran the floor with so much energy, they had the Spurs barely keeping up enough to get to the 3-point line, leaving the arc open.
Spurs run into ground
They had 17 fast-break points, more than they average per game, in the second quarter, 27 in the game. They tore apart the Spurs’ pick-and-roll defense. Mostly, they shut down the Spurs and ran away from them, firing 3s and dominating.
“Our guys were locked in,” D’Antoni said. “When they’re locked in and playing with a swagger — they had a great performance tonight.”