Stephen Curry has tortured the Houston Rockets greater than any staff throughout his legendary profession. Curry’s Golden State Warriors eradicated the James Harden-led Rockets from the NBA Playoffs in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. The Rockets tore it down and went right into a rebuild as a result of they weren’t in a position to get previous the Warriors. That rebuild has been a large success main Houston to the No. 2 seed within the West this 12 months, however all that meant was one other matchup with Curry and the Warriors.
Golden State may need a No. 7 seed subsequent to its identify within the first spherical matchup vs. Houston, however the Warriors had been really a slight favourite heading into the collection. All of it comes again to Curry, and he confirmed why he stays among the best gamers on the earth at age-37 as he lifted his staff to a Recreation 1 win.
Curry destroyed the Rockets once more with dagger after dagger on his method to 31 factors on 12-of-19 capturing with 5-of-9 capturing from three-point vary. The best shooter ever hit a number of back-breaking threes that had been spectacular even for him, particularly his leaning side-step triple over Jalen Inexperienced to beat the shot clock within the third quarter.
Curry’s shot regarded unimaginable on TV, however this courtside fan cam footage is even higher. That is what it appears wish to see Curry torment the Rockets within the Toyota Heart once more.
Right here’s a take a look at the shot from the published angle. It doesn’t get any higher than this.
That shot was actually simply the tip of the iceberg for Curry. Watch each bucket from his Recreation 1 efficiency towards the Rockets right here.
The Rockets had been taking part in bodily protection on Curry all evening, nevertheless it didn’t matter. Houston used Amen Thompson to lock down Curry throughout a matchup on the finish of the common season, however Golden State did a very good job getting him free off the ball in Recreation 1. In fact, it helps when Curry could make pictures that no different participant alive would even take into consideration making an attempt. Poor Jalen Inexperienced couldn’t assist however bearhug Curry on the courtroom to maintain him from sprinting off screens.
In the meantime, the Rockets tried to focus on Curry’s protection on the opposite finish with out a lot success. Curry held his personal defensively all evening. Whereas the matchup monitoring stats shouldn’t be used as bible, Curry did maintain Houston gamers to 4-of-16 capturing as the first defender on the evening.
Houston followers have seen sufficient of Curry for one lifetime. Sadly for them, this new technology of the Rockets nonetheless must beat him 4 occasions on this first spherical collection to maintain their season alive.
