May 25, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) during the second half in game four of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
By: Yama Hazheer
The Golden State Warriors have rarely found themselves in must win games this season. You seldom will say that when a team has won 67 games. It’s just silly.
The task they will face in Oakland Wednesday night does however reek of two words: must win.
Golden State beat the Rockets 7 out of the last 8 games, including a 35-point beating Saturday in Houston.
The Rockets beat the Warriors Monday and showed glimpses of confidence. The same type of confidence we haven’t seen James Harden and his team have since Game 7 of their series against the frail Los Angeles Clippers.
-== Top 11 Steph Curry Moments Of His Career ==-
May 25, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Harden and the Rockets put on a shooting clinic. They scored 45 points in the first quarter on the best defensive team in the league and set franchise playoff records during the span. The Warriors did not come out with the energy expected of a team hoping to make the NBA Finals for the first time in decades.
Golden State looked lost and Stephen Curry took a hard fall in the second quarter, which made matters worse. Although he suffered a head contusion, the doctors cleared him to return and the MVP chose to come back.
The gap was closed in certain moments, but the Warriors were never able to seize control over a team they have owned the past seven games.
The Warriors couldn’t complete the sweep and now have to play a Game 5. In some ways, this isn’t so bad. The Warriors have yet to finish a series off in Oakland this postseason. The fans deserve to see their team get a win and advance to the Finals.
But make no mistake about it; Game 5 is an absolute must win.
The Rockets were able to beat the Clippers three times in a row when they were down 1-3 in the series. They beat the team in a Game 7 that beat the San Antonio Spurs in a Game 7. They beat Chris Paul’s team when he played hungrier than ever. Houston is a very good team and the Warriors can’t take them for granted.
You cannot give the Rockets any more confidence. If they can steal a game at Oracle, they go to Houston for Game 6 and will have all the momentum. Keep in mind, the Rockets only lost by one point in Game 2.
May 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
When the Warriors were down 1-2 against the Grizzlies, their shooting from beyond the arc was awful. They weren’t going to keep that up. Mike Conley and Tony Allen were both banged up. As much as everyone was worried about the Warriors losing and going down 1-3, the chances were slim given the injuries to Memphis.
The Rockets are healthy now with the exception of Patrick Beverley. Dwight Howard has moments where he looks like the Howard of old and James Harden proved why he was the MVP runner-up in Game 4, when he torched the Warriors for 45 points.
The Cleveland Cavaliers swept the Atlanta Hawks and will get plenty of rest before the Finals. The last thing the Warriors need is an extended series against another team that loves to play fast. The Rockets can tire out the Warriors.
Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James get to rest up and Curry is playing with a head injury.
Laugh all you want about the Rockets and how poorly they played against the Warriors this season, but you don’t want to give that team the last laugh.
The Warriors need to win Game 5. They have proven they can win in Houston, but why take chances? Why fly back to a city where you’ve already had to face a few different delays on the trips due to weather? The Warriors don’t have time to go through that at this point.
The MVP could be less of his normal self because of his injury. The rest of the team needs to step up and deliver. They need to outplay the Rockets’ supporting cast, something that is extremely realistic to do at home.
LeBron James is waiting. The Warriors need to win Game 5. It is the most important must win of the year.