Warriors’ road trip gets off to poor start in Houston as Rockets rain in three- pointers
Houston makes 23 3- point shots before fouls help end run
HOUSTON — If the Warriors can take any consolation from the 140- 109 thrashing they took from the Rockets on Tuesday, it was that history was not made on their watch.
Golden State saw its fourgame win streak snapped in embarrassing fashion. But at least the Warriors didn’t give up an NBArecord for most 3- pointers in a game. They certainly did everything they could to prevent the Rockets from draining that 24th 3- pointer. They recklessly contested all threes. They committed hard fouls on anyone who dared hoist from deep.
In the final minute, with the game out of reach, they twice committed intentional fouls, prompting boos from the remaining fans at the Toyota Center.
“I’m an old- school basketball player and an old- school coach,” Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. “If you can’t appreciate that, that’s on you. We’re not going to lay down. If you’re going to try to get the record, we’re going to stop it.”
The Warriors, however, couldn’t stop the Rockets from tying the NBA record for most threes in a game, set by Orlando in January 2009. The 23
3- pointers Houston made, on 40 attempts, was more than enough damage to dispense of the Warriors.
Golden State’s defense was torched like a crème brûlée, giving up the most points in a game since Denver dropped 140 on visiting Golden State in November 2006. The Rockets shot 50.5 percent and had eight players with at least 11 points. Bay Area native Jeremy Lin led the way with 28 points and nine assists. Houston didn’t even need much from All- Star guard James Harden, who had 18 points on 11 shots.
But Golden State’s apparent determination to keep Lin and Harden from penetrating gave Houston a buffet of open looks. And the Rockets feasted.
They hit 3s off the drive and-dish. They hit 3s off quick ball reversals. They hit 3s in transition. Nine players hit 3pointers for the Rockets, six hitting at least two.
“We just had to keep playing,” Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. “We shoot a lot of 3s. That’s just what we do.”
Golden State, despite all its offensive weapons, simply couldn’t keep up. The Warriors managed just 47 points on 36.6 percent shooting in the second half.
As a result, the Warriors dropped into sixth in the Western Conference standings after being blown out to start a trip for the second time in two weeks. Their last four- games- in- five-nights roadie began without a blowout loss at Chicago on Jan. 25.
The Rockets put up 77 points in the first half, the most allowed by Golden State in any half this season. Houston made 14 of 18 from 3- point range in the first half, tying an NBA record for 3- pointers in a half.
Houston finally began to cool down from 3 in the third quarter. But first, the Rockets turned it into a laugher, sparked by a 14- 2 run.
“You’d figure they cool off just a little bit,” said point guard Stephen Curry . “But we have to force them to hit tough shots. Can’t just give them open looks. … It gets pretty ugly really fast if you don’t do anything about it.”
McHale pulled his starters with 5: 49 left. Guard Patrick Beverley and big man Donatas Montiejunas knocked down back- to- back 3- pointers to give the Rockets 23.
“The guys that were in the game at the end … they’re just out there playing,” McHale said. “They didn’t have an agenda. … We do play a push- it- up style. I told the guys that when you get the rebound, let’s push it up, see what presents itself and just play basketball.”
With 1: 04 left and the Warriors defending the 3point line at all costs, Beverley drove the lane and dunked. He stared at the Warriors’ bench on his way to the other end, drawing a technical foul for taunting.
“The only thing I think we need to apologize for was just the reaction after the dunk,” Lin said. “To be honest, that wasn’t totally classy on our behalf.”
After that, Jackson instructed his players to foul to prevent the 3. Soon after, Beverly found himself open in the corner. Rookie forward Draymond Green charged hard into Beverley, drawing a flagrant foul two and prompting a verbal scuffle with Marcus Morris. Both Green and Morris were ejected.
In the final 34.1 seconds, Jackson had his players intentionally foul and concede the free throws. Twice.
“That’s our coaches’ decision,” Warriors forward David Lee said. “That’s the way we play. … We’ve got three more opportunities to play these guys. ”