http://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Three-pointers-Takeaways-from-the-Rockets-win-12513315.php
Three-pointers: Takeaways from the Rockets' win over the Warriors
Published 10:51 am, Sunday, January 21, 2018
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) go after a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) go after a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreHouston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) takes the ball from Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) takes the ball from Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) grabs Houston Rockets guard James Harden's arm as he tries to go for a steal during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) grabs Houston Rockets guard James Harden's arm as he tries to go for a steal during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan.
... moreFormer University of Houston great Elvin Hayes waves to the crowd as he is introduced to the fans at the Houston Rockets game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. Hayes was a guest of the Rockets commemorating the 50th anniversary of the "Game of the Century" basketball game between UH and UCAL at the Astrodome. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessFormer University of Houston great Elvin Hayes waves to the crowd as he is introduced to the fans at the Houston Rockets game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreHouston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) shoots around the defense of Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) shoots around the defense of Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20,
... moreGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) grabs Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessGolden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) grabs Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett
... moreHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) cheers as he walks back up court after hitting a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) cheers as he walks back up court after hitting a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday,
... moreHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) goes after a loose ball with Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) goes after a loose ball with Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018,
... moreHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni yells as he runs up the sideline during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni yells as he runs up the sideline during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni yells as he runs up the sideline during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni yells as he runs up the sideline during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni argues a call with referee Jason Phillips (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni argues a call with referee Jason Phillips (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20,
... moreHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) go after a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessHouston Rockets guard James Harden (13) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) go after a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreGolden State Warriors guard Nick Young (6) falls to the floor as he is defended by Houston Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessGolden State Warriors guard Nick Young (6) falls to the floor as he is defended by Houston Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Saturday,
... moreA Houston Rockets fans holds up a sign cheering on Rockets guard James Harden during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
lessA Houston Rockets fans holds up a sign cheering on Rockets guard James Harden during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in
... moreThe Rockets had insisted that the game would be just another night on the schedule, but no one believed them.
The final regular-season meeting with the Warriors was a last chance to measure themselves against the league's best, a last chance to make a statement – if only to themselves – about their championship potential, a last game against the Warriors played with a post-season meeting in mind.
The Warriors have grown accustomed to taking opponents' best shot. They use that to maintain their intensity and focus through the regular-season and if a team lets up, they pounce. The Rockets were not about to let up. Their stars responded. They got contributions from every player that took the floor.
Clint Capela finished inside. Ryan Anderson had 13 rebounds, his most with the Rockets. Luc Mbah a Moute helped the Rockets get off to their fast start and had 14 points. P.J. Tucker helped key the fourth quarter run. A game with the NBA champions on the floor looked very much like a matchup of the NBA's two best teams. The league would be happy to get seven more games just like it.
1. Since Daryl Morey has made no secret of his obsession with the Warriors, it can be safe to assume that the addition of Chris Paul was with beating Golden State in mind. He would have been thrilled to add Paul had the Warriors dropped out of the league to run for office, but against the Warriors, having the firepower and playmaking in a backcourt along with James Harden was essential to keep pace and perhaps even find a soft spot in the Golden State defense. The Warriors' great strength against the Rockets has been that they can switch so many defenders onto Harden, with Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and (when healthy) Andre Iguodala all outstanding. With Paul, the Rockets can go after Steph Curry. This is not the same as attacking the Cavaliers. Curry has been a part of the Warriors' defensive excellence for years. But just as Curry can beat any defense, so can Paul, and Curry cannot be the force defensively of his teammates. Paul might have had his best game with the Rockets on Saturday, scoring 33 points with a season-high 11 rebounds and seven assists. He made 6 of 11 3-pointers. He has had as many 30-point games in the past five games (two) as he had all of last season. The Rockets are 12-1 when he scores 20. More to the point, they are 17-0 when Paul, Harden and Clint Capela all play. On Saturday, they combined for 73 points as Paul had his first game with 30 points and 10 assists since 2009. Harden hit the dagger 3, that he backed up with a blocked shot. The Rockets experienced at least one night beating the Warriors the way they had in mind. No team can match the Warriors' star power, with four All Star caliber players in their prime and three recent MVP trophies. But the Rockets' addition of Paul along with the growth of Clint Capela and a few other moves made with a Golden State of mind has narrowed that gap.
2. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said the Warriors would be better if the teams meet again and that the Rockets will have to be, as well. That seems certain. It's not just that Klay Thompson misfired, particularly since Eric Gordon did, too. Thompson made just 3 of 11 shots, Gordon just of 14. But beyond missing shots, the Warriors did not quite execute the way they normally do. They did not perform late in the game as they had in their win in Houston when they moved and passed and pulled away with shots they could not miss. The Warriors on Saturday short-cut their offense down the stretch, taking rushed shots, often 3s, rather than making the right or extra pass to the easy bucket. They spent a stretch of the second quarter with strangely sloppy passes, helping the Rockets get through their own issues and hang onto the lead. The Rockets demonstrated they can beat the Warriors by backing up their season-opening win with a win on their home court. They did it with two players, Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green, suspended. Both can have been contributors on Saturday. Without them, the Rockets had little margin for error when one of their 3-point shooters was off. Green had a season-high 29 against the Warriors in the first meeting. Ariza's length defensively would have helped against Kevin Durant, though Luc Mbah a Moute was outstanding. In a game that was so very good, both teams can be better. As encouraged as the Rockets were with the win, they knew they will have to be.
3. The Rockets were thrilled not just with the win, but with how they took it, by executing and defending down the stretch as the Warriors so often do. But it was more than even that that left them feeling better about themselves than at any point since reality hit back hard with last month's five-game losing streak and the run of injuries. A week that began with them explaining much more than the loss in Los Angeles ended with a scintillating performance against the NBA's best team. But more even than winning a big game on a national stage, the Rockets repeatedly spoke about getting whole again. For the first time since the end of the 14-game winning streak, the Rockets expect to have their full roster available on Monday. Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green will be back from their suspensions. James Harden has played two games with increasing effectiveness since his hamstring injury. Luc Mbah a Moute is three games removed from his shoulder injury. At a time of the season when general managers are working the phones, getting a sense of the value of their assets to prepare for the Feb. 8 trade deadline, the Rockets have reinforcements on the way and are speaking of making a push to the All Star break. The numbers don't add up to easy wins. They are not playing tug-of-war. The Heat have given them trouble over past seasons with length and young athleticism. There are tough road games ahead. But after weeks of just trying to hold on, the Rockets can now build, starting with the foundation of an impressive win against the Warriors.
