May 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after making a three point basket against the Houston Rockets in the first quarter in game one of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
“Again, this is the furthest that I’ve been,” said first-year Warrior Shaun Livingston. “The opportunity is amazing.”
For many Golden State Warriors fans, this is also the furthest they’ve been. It was the opening game of the Western Conference Finals, a feat the franchise hasn’t seen since their last championship in the 1974-75 season. As the resounding favorite, the opportunity is there for more history, and after their 110-106 victory in Game 1, it’s that much closer.
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Once again, the Warriors played themselves into an early deficit, trailing by seven after the first quarter and an impressive display of resiliency from the Rockets – they completed an improbable 3-1 comeback at the expense of the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday – and hot shooting early in the game.
To the dismay of many Warriors fans, the Clippers didn’t finish off the irksome Rockets when they had three opportunities to do so. The Clippers-Warriors rivalry is well chronicled, and that matchup on such a scale like the conference finals would’ve elevated it to new heights. Regardless, the Rockets were the better matchup, and Game 1 proved again why that’s so.
May 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
After a first quarter that saw the Rockets shooting 60 percent from the field and damper an otherwise spectacular Oracle Arena crowd, the Warriors finally revealed their true selves in the second quarter. “I think we finally realized it was the Western Conference Finals,” said head coach Steve Kerr.
Not only did his team realize it was the conference finals, but Kerr implanted the small-ball lineup that brought about so much success during the regular season. With Draymond Green at center, the Warriors went on a 23-5 run and finished the half up 58-55.
Despite the size differential, Green never plays small and with Anthony Davis, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and now Dwight Howard under his belt, Green enjoys the challenge. “It was fun,” said Green. “They struggled a bit with the small lineup when they were big with Dwight. That’s what kind of changed the game for us.”
The effort finally caught up to their focus, and with some help from Shaun Livingston, the Warriors took control of the game and never looked back. Livingston had his best game as a Warrior, scoring 18 points (14 points during the second quarter), grabbing eight rebounds and being the versatile, lengthy defender he was signed to be in the small lineup.
“He was terrific,” Kerr said of Livingston. “He kept us in the game during the second quarter when we were really struggling, getting to the foul line, hitting his little mid-range pull-up.”
Livingston’s lack of scoring throughout the season – he averaged just 5.9 points during the regular season – can be attributed to his role. He was never going to be Jarrett Jack or, thankfully, Steve Blake or Jordan Crawford. A veteran floor general who carries the versatility and length to defend multiple positions, it wasn’t his role to take over or generate runs, but he did just that in Game 1.
The contributions of Livingston and the continuing heroics of Steph Curry got their team back in the game, but the irrepressible Houston squad has an MVP candidate of their own, and he made his presence known in the second half. The series poster boys are Curry and Harden, and both put on a show Tuesday night.
May 19, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Both Curry and Harden had 21 points in the second half, hitting shots fans have grown to know over the years. Curry hit shots in transition, moved well off the ball and nailed some inexplicably wide-open shots (Rockets left him open “uncontested” 13 times). Harden loves to isolate, and despite Klay Thompson playing tough on-ball defense, it didn’t matter. The crossover-to-step-back move is one of the most unstoppable offensive moves in the game, and Harden put that along with his usual arsenal of moves on display.
“There’s not a whole lot you can do,” said Kerr. “We have a few different things in mind that we can do. We went to some switching, but it’s the same thing with Steph; great players are going to find a way at some point, and they both got going.”
They weren’t matched up on each other, but Curry and Harden going off was as fun of a joint performance as you can hope for in the playoffs. Two superstars entering their primes displaying their entire arsenals in a hectic environment on the most glamorous of stages. It’s an NBA fan’s dream, and it’s no wonder why both were battling for the rights for the MVP crown all season.
Round 1 went to Curry and the Warriors, and with Dwight Howard’s health now a question for the remainder of the series, the Rockets will continue to demand contributions from the likes of Trevor Ariza, Josh Smith and Jason Terry. The Warriors will let Harden be Harden if it means poor shooting nights from the supporting cast – Rockets not named Harden went 29-for-66 in Game 1 – to have a chance this series.
As Game 1 – and the entire playoffs, for that matter – has proven, the Warriors don’t need perfect games to win. Coming out sluggish and yielding to the energized, confident Rockets might not result in a win at the Toyota Center. Still, with a total team effort – Curry being Curry, Green at center, Livingston off the bench, Festus Ezeli and Leandro Barbosa for solid spells of minutes – the Warriors are nearly impossible to beat in any given scenario.
The Rockets need a band of flawless team performances to beat the Warriors this series, and that seems a near impossible task given their current state.