It was a bittersweet Game 5 victory for the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

The Dubs beat the Rockets 104-99 at home with the series tied at two games apiece, giving them a crucial 3-2 advantage going into Game 6 in Houston. With that being said, however, one of their superstars went down with an injury during the course of the game that could alter the entire composition of the series.

Kevin Durant, who scored 22 points before exiting, left late in the third quarter after a non-contact calf injury. After shooting a jumper over Iman Shumpert, Durant collapsed to the ground, clutching his leg.

Durant’s injury was described as a “calf strain” by the Warriors, but he is set to undergo an MRI to further examine the injury and to determine how long he’ll be out.

Klay Thompson stepped up in Durant’s absence, scoring 27 points to lead Golden State. He hit 5 of 10 three pointers and made crucial shots down the stretch to seal the Warriors’ victory.

James Harden led Houston with 31 points in his team’s loss.

Game 6 will be held at the Toyota Center on Friday night.

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It looks like Houston Rockets’ point guard Chris Paul will not settle for anything less than a max contract when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Although there have been reports that the 33-year-old could offer the Rockets a discount in order to help them create a more competitive team, that won’t be the case according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Speaking on his The Woj Pod podcast, Wojnarowski said that there are no indications that Paul will settle for anything less than a max deal.

“When the Rockets made that deal for Chris Paul, knowing they would re-sign him [once he hit free agency], they made a conscious decision that they were gonna have to live with [paying him] $46, $47 million-a-year salary when he’s not nearly the player anymore in his late 30s, but, ‘We’re gonna make a run at it now; we wanna win a championship now. We’ll deal with it [Paul’s contract] later.’” – said Wojnarowski. “We’ll see how that plays out in their contract talks [with Paul] here in free agency. Chris Paul didn’t turn down $200 million from the Clippers because he thought that somehow the Rockets were gonna talk him into saving them luxury-tax money. I don’t imagine it playing out that way.“

After spending more than six years with the Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul decided to team up with James Harden and join the Houston Rockets in June 2017. It turned out to be the right move, since the Rockets finished the season as the top seed in the Western Conference, with Paul averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.7 steals during the regular season.

Chris Paul also put on some great performances during the playoffs but suffered an injury in the Western Conference Finals which saw him missing the two final games of the series against the Golden State Warriors. Paul’s value to the team was evident in these two games since the Rockets didn’t manage to get the win and ended up missing out on NBA Finals appearance.

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Golden State Warriors managed to overcome Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals’ Game 7 and secured their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals. But, that shouldn’t have been the case according to Rockets’ Eric Gordon who thinks his team would win the series if they had Chris Paul in Game 7. Paul missed last two games of the series due to a strained right hamstring.

“It sucks because you know you could win this series if we just had one more playmaker,” – said Gordon on Monday night after Rockets’ 101-92 loss to Warriors. “If we had Chris, if he was out there, we’d have been playing on Thursday. It’s just tough.“

It isn’t like Houston Rockets didn’t have a chance to win the game without Paul. They entered the second half of the Game 7 being 11 points ahead but had to watch their lead melting in the third quarter when they managed to score only 15 points compared to Warriors’ 33. It is also worth noting that the Rockets went ice cold from three-point range, hitting 7 out of their 44 attempts, which included missing 27 straight three-pointers in one period.

“That’s what C.P. was so good at in two [of the] games we won,” – said Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni about the Warriors’ dominance in the third quarter. “They’d make a little run, he’d hit a 3. They make another run, and he makes another play. And you have to have those momentum changers and stoppers, and the last two games, we didn’t have them.“

In the series against the Warriors, Chris Paul averaged 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

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On Thursday night Houston Rockets managed to get a 98-94 win against the Golden State Warriors in front of their home crowd and take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Still, that win didn’t come without a price. Rockets announced on Friday morning that their point guard Chris Paul will miss the Game 6 of the series, after suffering a right hamstring strain in the final minutes of Game 5. According to the announcement, Paul will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston from their trip to Oakland.

“It’s obviously not something we wanted,” – said Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni on Friday morning. “I hate it for him above all. He’s practically won us the past two games. But it’s a great opportunity for other guys, and we have plenty to choose from. We’ll be ready.“

Asked by reporters whether Chris Paul might be ready for Game 7 in case Rockets don’t close out the series in Game 6, D’Antoni responded: “I don’t know.“

.@CP3 will miss Saturday’s game at Golden State with a right hamstring strain.

He will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston. pic.twitter.com/5gAdYas3Vo

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) May 25, 2018

Chris Paul was a key player for the Houston Rockets in the series against the Warriors and has led them to wins in last two games. In Game 5, Paul managed to hit some tough shots when Rockets needed points the most and overall helped the team with his leadership. During the Western Conference Finals Paul has been averaging almost 20.0 points, 6.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.

“Obviously Chris has been playing extremely well,” – said his teammate James Harden. “Hopefully [he will have] a speedy recovery, which I know will happen. There’s an opportunity, like all year long, for guys to step up and take advantage of an unbelievable opportunity.“

In the Golden State Warriors corner, Andre Iguodala has been struggling with a knee injury and was forced to sit out Game 4 and 5. He is listed as questionable for the upcoming game.

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Things don’t look good for the Golden State Warriors ahead of Western Conference Finals Game 4 against the Houston Rockets. According to the press release made by the Warriors on Monday, their forward Andre Iguodala is doubtful for Tuesday night’s game against the Rockets with shooting guard Patrick McCaw being ruled out of the game.

Injury report for tomorrow night's Game 4 vs. Houston: Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion) is doubtful. Patrick McCaw (lumbar spine contusion) is out.

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) May 22, 2018

Andre Iguodala suffered the injury late in Game 3 when he banged knees with James Harden. Because of the injury, the 34-year-old didn’t participate in Monday’s practice and the Warriors’ team thinks that the injury got worse since Sunday.

While Patrick McCaw’s absence from the game might not be so noticeable, in case that Iguodala can’t play in Game 4 that could really be problematic for Golden State Warriors. He has been averaging 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the first three game of the Western Conference Finals but his impact is much bigger than his box score, considering all the small things he does for the Warriors.

Andre Iguodala joined the Golden State Warriors in 2013 and established himself as the key role player for the team during their two NBA Championship runs. In the summer of 2017, Iguodala was a highly sought-after player on the free agents market bud decided to stay with the Warriors agreeing on a three-year, $48 million contract.

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After playing poorly in the Game 1 of Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets found their footing in Game 2 beating the Warriors 127-106 to tie the series 1-1.

One of the reasons why Houston Rockets managed to win so convincingly was the fact that James Harden didn’t have to carry the offensive load by himself. Rockets had five of their players scored 16 or more points including Harden and Eric Gordon who had 27 points, while PJ Tucker and Trevor Ariza added 22 and 19 respectively. Chris Paul ended the night with 16 points but dished out 6 assists and had a great performance on the defense.

Rockets collectively played an impressive game and proved that they can give Warriors run for their money but according to Harden, we are yet to see them on their best.

“If the first game we were at a 70, tonight we were at a 95,” – said Harden after the game. “We were pretty aggressive defensively, and that allowed us to get out in transition. If we be comfortable, sit back and just allow them to get to their spots and run around freely, then they’re going to pick us apart. But if we get into them and try to make it tougher on them, good things will happen for us.“

“We can beat anybody, anywhere at any time playing the way we play,” – added Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni.

Golden State Warriors, on the other side, struggled early on with the turnovers and couldn’t find the answer for the Rockets defense. Kevin Durant had another great game scoring 38 points, but he couldn’t do it all by himself especially since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson failed to leave their mark on the game. Curry was the only Warriors player except Duran to score in double digits with 16, while Thompson had 8.

“They were desperate tonight and played like it, and we weren’t and it showed,” – said Warriors coach Steve Kerr after the game.

The series will now move to Oakland, with the Game 3 of Western Conference Finals scheduled to take place on Sunday night at Oracle Arena.

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Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are about to enter the most anticipated series of this year’s playoffs and clash in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Although there is no love lost between these two teams, with each one looking to take the other one down, Warriors’ Stephen Curry decided to skip the trash talk during the Friday’s practice. Instead, the two times NBA MVP reflected on his relationship with Rockets’ Chris Paul.

The two point guards worked out together in 2009, shortly after Curry was drafted into the league. It turns out the workout with Paul had a big influence on Curry.

“He was a great mentor when it came to understanding how a guy on his level prepared over the summer for an NBA season,” – said Curry about Paul per ESPN’s Chris Haynes. “How disciplined he was, his work ethic, and I got to see that firsthand after summer league through the beginning of the season. And obviously, we got a Carolina connection.“

Curry and Paul are not as close as they once were, but they still respect each other.

“He demonstrated firsthand what it takes to be great in this league, and it was a nice little eye-opener for me that summer,” – Curry added. “Work out with him, compete against him and take that confidence I had into my rookie year [to] get off on a good foot.“

Stephen Curry averaged 26.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game in the regular season while Chris Paul had 18.6, 5.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.7 steals. Kevin Durant and James Harden matchup in the Warriors vs Rockets series will definitely be the most intriguing from an offensive standpoint, but the clash between Curry and Paul as second best players on their respective teams might determine the outcome of the series.

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NBA Western Conference Finals will offer us the spectacle we have been all waiting for. Reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors will go head to head with the best team in the regular season, Houston Rockets. While the Rockets have said multiple times that they are obsessed with beating the Warriors, it doesn’t seem like it’s the other way around. At least according to Warriors’ forward Draymond Green.

Speaking to the reporters after the 113-104 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, Green said that the Warriors team just “want to win another championship and that they “don’t matter who’s in the way of that.”

“Man, we won two championships in three years. We’re not about to run off talking about how bad we want to play somebody,” – said Green. “We want to win another championship, and it don’t matter who’s in the way of that. If you’re in the way of that, then you happen to be in the way.“

“We’ve got a goal. Whoever is in the way of that goal, then we got to see you. You got to see us. All right now, they’re in the way. Perfect. But we’re not running around talking about, ‘Man, we want them bad.’ Nah, we want a championship bad. Another one.” – he added.

In the series against the New Orleans Pelicans, Draymond Green proved to be a crucial player for the Warriors once again, becoming the first player in the franchise’s history to average a triple-double in the playoffs. In five games, Green averaged 14.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10 assists per game. He will have to step once again in the Western Conference Finals since the Houston Rockets will not go down without a big fight.

The first game of the series between the Warriors and the Rockets is scheduled for tip off on Monday, May 14, at 9 p.m. in Houston.

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The teams in the Western Conference can be divided into two groups. Those who are in a rebuilding process and those who want to beat the Golden State Warriors. The Houston Rockets are definitely in the second group and team that might have the best chance of them all to succeed. The Rockets are currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference with 25-5 record, and lead the league in offensive efficiency, but their general manager Daryl Morey says that this isn’t their primary concern. His main goal is to defeat the Warriors.

“It’s the only thing we think about,” – said Morey while speaking to ESPN Radio’s The Ryen Russillo Show. “I think I’m not supposed to say that, but we’re basically obsessed with ‘How do we beat the Warriors?‘”

A better part of the league obviously feels the same way, but the Rockets are straightforward. They were beaten twice in the playoffs by the Warriors in the past three years (2015 and 2016), so they know which team is the most difficult obstacle to overcome on their road to NBA title.

“We calculated it — it’s like 90 percent if we’re gonna win a title, we’ve gotta obviously beat the Warriors at some point.” – continued Morey. “So we’re extremely focused on that. A lot of our signings and what we do during the year is based on that.“

According to the many basketball analysts, the Rockets are the second team to Cleveland Cavaliers which could upset the Warriors. With James Harden in his prime, the addition of Chris Paul in the offseason and complimentary pieces in Eric Gordon, Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza among others, and led by Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets really do have a “puncher’s chance” to dethrone the Warriors. It only remains to be seen whether their punches are strong enough.

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It was a bittersweet Game 5 victory for the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

The Dubs beat the Rockets 104-99 at home with the series tied at two games apiece, giving them a crucial 3-2 advantage going into Game 6 in Houston. With that being said, however, one of their superstars went down with an injury during the course of the game that could alter the entire composition of the series.

Kevin Durant, who scored 22 points before exiting, left late in the third quarter after a non-contact calf injury. After shooting a jumper over Iman Shumpert, Durant collapsed to the ground, clutching his leg.

Durant’s injury was described as a “calf strain” by the Warriors, but he is set to undergo an MRI to further examine the injury and to determine how long he’ll be out.

Klay Thompson stepped up in Durant’s absence, scoring 27 points to lead Golden State. He hit 5 of 10 three pointers and made crucial shots down the stretch to seal the Warriors’ victory.

James Harden led Houston with 31 points in his team’s loss.

Game 6 will be held at the Toyota Center on Friday night.

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It looks like Houston Rockets’ point guard Chris Paul will not settle for anything less than a max contract when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Although there have been reports that the 33-year-old could offer the Rockets a discount in order to help them create a more competitive team, that won’t be the case according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Speaking on his The Woj Pod podcast, Wojnarowski said that there are no indications that Paul will settle for anything less than a max deal.

“When the Rockets made that deal for Chris Paul, knowing they would re-sign him [once he hit free agency], they made a conscious decision that they were gonna have to live with [paying him] $46, $47 million-a-year salary when he’s not nearly the player anymore in his late 30s, but, ‘We’re gonna make a run at it now; we wanna win a championship now. We’ll deal with it [Paul’s contract] later.’” – said Wojnarowski. “We’ll see how that plays out in their contract talks [with Paul] here in free agency. Chris Paul didn’t turn down $200 million from the Clippers because he thought that somehow the Rockets were gonna talk him into saving them luxury-tax money. I don’t imagine it playing out that way.“

After spending more than six years with the Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul decided to team up with James Harden and join the Houston Rockets in June 2017. It turned out to be the right move, since the Rockets finished the season as the top seed in the Western Conference, with Paul averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.7 steals during the regular season.

Chris Paul also put on some great performances during the playoffs but suffered an injury in the Western Conference Finals which saw him missing the two final games of the series against the Golden State Warriors. Paul’s value to the team was evident in these two games since the Rockets didn’t manage to get the win and ended up missing out on NBA Finals appearance.

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Golden State Warriors managed to overcome Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals’ Game 7 and secured their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals. But, that shouldn’t have been the case according to Rockets’ Eric Gordon who thinks his team would win the series if they had Chris Paul in Game 7. Paul missed last two games of the series due to a strained right hamstring.

“It sucks because you know you could win this series if we just had one more playmaker,” – said Gordon on Monday night after Rockets’ 101-92 loss to Warriors. “If we had Chris, if he was out there, we’d have been playing on Thursday. It’s just tough.“

It isn’t like Houston Rockets didn’t have a chance to win the game without Paul. They entered the second half of the Game 7 being 11 points ahead but had to watch their lead melting in the third quarter when they managed to score only 15 points compared to Warriors’ 33. It is also worth noting that the Rockets went ice cold from three-point range, hitting 7 out of their 44 attempts, which included missing 27 straight three-pointers in one period.

“That’s what C.P. was so good at in two [of the] games we won,” – said Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni about the Warriors’ dominance in the third quarter. “They’d make a little run, he’d hit a 3. They make another run, and he makes another play. And you have to have those momentum changers and stoppers, and the last two games, we didn’t have them.“

In the series against the Warriors, Chris Paul averaged 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

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On Thursday night Houston Rockets managed to get a 98-94 win against the Golden State Warriors in front of their home crowd and take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Still, that win didn’t come without a price. Rockets announced on Friday morning that their point guard Chris Paul will miss the Game 6 of the series, after suffering a right hamstring strain in the final minutes of Game 5. According to the announcement, Paul will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston from their trip to Oakland.

“It’s obviously not something we wanted,” – said Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni on Friday morning. “I hate it for him above all. He’s practically won us the past two games. But it’s a great opportunity for other guys, and we have plenty to choose from. We’ll be ready.“

Asked by reporters whether Chris Paul might be ready for Game 7 in case Rockets don’t close out the series in Game 6, D’Antoni responded: “I don’t know.“

.@CP3 will miss Saturday’s game at Golden State with a right hamstring strain.

He will be re-evaluated after the team returns to Houston. pic.twitter.com/5gAdYas3Vo

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) May 25, 2018

Chris Paul was a key player for the Houston Rockets in the series against the Warriors and has led them to wins in last two games. In Game 5, Paul managed to hit some tough shots when Rockets needed points the most and overall helped the team with his leadership. During the Western Conference Finals Paul has been averaging almost 20.0 points, 6.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.

“Obviously Chris has been playing extremely well,” – said his teammate James Harden. “Hopefully [he will have] a speedy recovery, which I know will happen. There’s an opportunity, like all year long, for guys to step up and take advantage of an unbelievable opportunity.“

In the Golden State Warriors corner, Andre Iguodala has been struggling with a knee injury and was forced to sit out Game 4 and 5. He is listed as questionable for the upcoming game.

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Things don’t look good for the Golden State Warriors ahead of Western Conference Finals Game 4 against the Houston Rockets. According to the press release made by the Warriors on Monday, their forward Andre Iguodala is doubtful for Tuesday night’s game against the Rockets with shooting guard Patrick McCaw being ruled out of the game.

Injury report for tomorrow night's Game 4 vs. Houston: Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion) is doubtful. Patrick McCaw (lumbar spine contusion) is out.

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) May 22, 2018

Andre Iguodala suffered the injury late in Game 3 when he banged knees with James Harden. Because of the injury, the 34-year-old didn’t participate in Monday’s practice and the Warriors’ team thinks that the injury got worse since Sunday.

While Patrick McCaw’s absence from the game might not be so noticeable, in case that Iguodala can’t play in Game 4 that could really be problematic for Golden State Warriors. He has been averaging 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in the first three game of the Western Conference Finals but his impact is much bigger than his box score, considering all the small things he does for the Warriors.

Andre Iguodala joined the Golden State Warriors in 2013 and established himself as the key role player for the team during their two NBA Championship runs. In the summer of 2017, Iguodala was a highly sought-after player on the free agents market bud decided to stay with the Warriors agreeing on a three-year, $48 million contract.

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After playing poorly in the Game 1 of Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets found their footing in Game 2 beating the Warriors 127-106 to tie the series 1-1.

One of the reasons why Houston Rockets managed to win so convincingly was the fact that James Harden didn’t have to carry the offensive load by himself. Rockets had five of their players scored 16 or more points including Harden and Eric Gordon who had 27 points, while PJ Tucker and Trevor Ariza added 22 and 19 respectively. Chris Paul ended the night with 16 points but dished out 6 assists and had a great performance on the defense.

Rockets collectively played an impressive game and proved that they can give Warriors run for their money but according to Harden, we are yet to see them on their best.

“If the first game we were at a 70, tonight we were at a 95,” – said Harden after the game. “We were pretty aggressive defensively, and that allowed us to get out in transition. If we be comfortable, sit back and just allow them to get to their spots and run around freely, then they’re going to pick us apart. But if we get into them and try to make it tougher on them, good things will happen for us.“

“We can beat anybody, anywhere at any time playing the way we play,” – added Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni.

Golden State Warriors, on the other side, struggled early on with the turnovers and couldn’t find the answer for the Rockets defense. Kevin Durant had another great game scoring 38 points, but he couldn’t do it all by himself especially since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson failed to leave their mark on the game. Curry was the only Warriors player except Duran to score in double digits with 16, while Thompson had 8.

“They were desperate tonight and played like it, and we weren’t and it showed,” – said Warriors coach Steve Kerr after the game.

The series will now move to Oakland, with the Game 3 of Western Conference Finals scheduled to take place on Sunday night at Oracle Arena.

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Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are about to enter the most anticipated series of this year’s playoffs and clash in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Although there is no love lost between these two teams, with each one looking to take the other one down, Warriors’ Stephen Curry decided to skip the trash talk during the Friday’s practice. Instead, the two times NBA MVP reflected on his relationship with Rockets’ Chris Paul.

The two point guards worked out together in 2009, shortly after Curry was drafted into the league. It turns out the workout with Paul had a big influence on Curry.

“He was a great mentor when it came to understanding how a guy on his level prepared over the summer for an NBA season,” – said Curry about Paul per ESPN’s Chris Haynes. “How disciplined he was, his work ethic, and I got to see that firsthand after summer league through the beginning of the season. And obviously, we got a Carolina connection.“

Curry and Paul are not as close as they once were, but they still respect each other.

“He demonstrated firsthand what it takes to be great in this league, and it was a nice little eye-opener for me that summer,” – Curry added. “Work out with him, compete against him and take that confidence I had into my rookie year [to] get off on a good foot.“

Stephen Curry averaged 26.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game in the regular season while Chris Paul had 18.6, 5.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.7 steals. Kevin Durant and James Harden matchup in the Warriors vs Rockets series will definitely be the most intriguing from an offensive standpoint, but the clash between Curry and Paul as second best players on their respective teams might determine the outcome of the series.

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NBA Western Conference Finals will offer us the spectacle we have been all waiting for. Reigning NBA champions Golden State Warriors will go head to head with the best team in the regular season, Houston Rockets. While the Rockets have said multiple times that they are obsessed with beating the Warriors, it doesn’t seem like it’s the other way around. At least according to Warriors’ forward Draymond Green.

Speaking to the reporters after the 113-104 win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, Green said that the Warriors team just “want to win another championship and that they “don’t matter who’s in the way of that.”

“Man, we won two championships in three years. We’re not about to run off talking about how bad we want to play somebody,” – said Green. “We want to win another championship, and it don’t matter who’s in the way of that. If you’re in the way of that, then you happen to be in the way.“

“We’ve got a goal. Whoever is in the way of that goal, then we got to see you. You got to see us. All right now, they’re in the way. Perfect. But we’re not running around talking about, ‘Man, we want them bad.’ Nah, we want a championship bad. Another one.” – he added.

In the series against the New Orleans Pelicans, Draymond Green proved to be a crucial player for the Warriors once again, becoming the first player in the franchise’s history to average a triple-double in the playoffs. In five games, Green averaged 14.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 10 assists per game. He will have to step once again in the Western Conference Finals since the Houston Rockets will not go down without a big fight.

The first game of the series between the Warriors and the Rockets is scheduled for tip off on Monday, May 14, at 9 p.m. in Houston.

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The teams in the Western Conference can be divided into two groups. Those who are in a rebuilding process and those who want to beat the Golden State Warriors. The Houston Rockets are definitely in the second group and team that might have the best chance of them all to succeed. The Rockets are currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference with 25-5 record, and lead the league in offensive efficiency, but their general manager Daryl Morey says that this isn’t their primary concern. His main goal is to defeat the Warriors.

“It’s the only thing we think about,” – said Morey while speaking to ESPN Radio’s The Ryen Russillo Show. “I think I’m not supposed to say that, but we’re basically obsessed with ‘How do we beat the Warriors?‘”

A better part of the league obviously feels the same way, but the Rockets are straightforward. They were beaten twice in the playoffs by the Warriors in the past three years (2015 and 2016), so they know which team is the most difficult obstacle to overcome on their road to NBA title.

“We calculated it — it’s like 90 percent if we’re gonna win a title, we’ve gotta obviously beat the Warriors at some point.” – continued Morey. “So we’re extremely focused on that. A lot of our signings and what we do during the year is based on that.“

According to the many basketball analysts, the Rockets are the second team to Cleveland Cavaliers which could upset the Warriors. With James Harden in his prime, the addition of Chris Paul in the offseason and complimentary pieces in Eric Gordon, Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza among others, and led by Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets really do have a “puncher’s chance” to dethrone the Warriors. It only remains to be seen whether their punches are strong enough.

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