ROCKETS RIP ‘BANGED UP’ WARRIORS

LOS ANGELES— The Houston Rockets humbled the two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 107-86, on Thursday in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals.

The Rockets took full advantage of the absence of Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry, who missed his fourth straight game with a groin injury.

They posted their sixth victory in eight games after a 1-5 start and climbed to .500 at 7-7 in the still young season.

Draymond Green returned for the Warriors after serving a one-game suspension meted out by Golden State after his confrontation with teammate Kevin Durant.

The Rockets coped with their own upheaval as shortly before the game, general manager Daryl Morey confirmed they were parting ways with 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who had played in just 10 games since arriving as a free agent prior to the season.

Whether Curry’s absence or tension between teammates played a role, the Warriors endured a horrendous shooting night, connecting on 42.1 percent of their shots from the field and just 22.2 percent from three-point range.

Not a single Warriors starter made a three-pointer—a first since March of 2013. The Rockets, up 47-41 at halftime, pulled away relentlessly—putting the game out of reach with a 21-2 scoring run to open the fourth quarter.

“We’re banged up a little physically and we’re banged up spiritually—there’s no getting around that,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We’ve got to fill up our cup, get our spirit back, get our energy back, and we’re going to. It’s a long season.”