Second chance
Better execution was a key for Rockets in Game 2.
The Rockets said they would not change their offense and they didn’t. They were better at it in the Game 2 win than their Game 1 loss.
They broke down the Warriors off the dribble more quickly. They especially used improved defense to get in transition and play up-tempo more often. But the Rockets still relied on their isolation offense to attack favorable matchups one-on-one, the style widely criticized after the Game 1.
In Game 1, they had 45 iso possessions, according to NBA statistics. In Game 2, they had 46.
In Game 1, they made 226 passes. In Game 2, they made 228. They did not get more open or wide-open 3-pointers, taking 31 in both games.
They did it all with greater pace and better shooting. But amid calls for them to rely on isolation offense less often, they sought out one-on-one matchups, usually to go at Stephen Curry, against the Warriors’ switching defense more than ever.
“It’s obviously one of our things we like to do,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I thought Steph guarded pretty well tonight. He got some steals. But our whole thing was our force. We just talked about that we have to play physical. We have to play with force on defense. And that translates over to offense.
“Now we’re driving and kicking and driving and kicking and driving and kicking. They’re like us. When you do that and you’re running at people, it’s tough. We got in the lane. We’re able to get our 3s. A lot of things opened up. It was just the force we played with. Hopefully we understand that. We know it’s going to be hard in Oakland. There’s no doubt about it. But we have to play that way, and then see what happens.”
Aggressive mindset helps improve focus
The Rockets have not lost consecutive games since January and have not lost consecutive games with James Hard- en and Chris Paul on the floor since December. After losing Game 1, they again bounced back, with Harden saying focus again improved after a loss.
“I think so,” Harden said. “You look back at that Utah series, we lose Game 2 and take our focus to another level and have a pretty good game in Game 3, and get greedy and win Game 4. So the same thing happened.
“We knew how difficult it was going to be, but we didn’t come out (in Game 2 against the Warriors) with the approach of it being that difficult, in the sense that we lost Game 1. We had that mindset, after the loss, to be the aggressor. We have to keep that same mentality in Game 3, and no matter where we are. If we have that mindset, we’re in good hands.”
Curry frustrated but ‘feeling great’
After making just 1 of 8 3pointers and spending much of the night targeted by the Rockets’ defense, Warriors guard Stephen Curry brushed off any suggestions that he is playing with an injury or even limited in just his sixth game since coming back from a sprained left knee he suffered March 23.
“I’m feeling great,” Curry said. “I didn’t find a rhythm early. I had some decent looks from 3 that could have changed the momentum of the game early in the first half. But for the most part, it was just a frustrating night all the way around.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr did cite the limited number of games since Curry returned but said Curry is not hurt.
“He’s feeling good,” Kerr said. “I don’t know what this was, maybe his sixth or seventh game back. So he’s getting better, and I thought he played a lot better in Game 1 than anyone gave him credit for.”