May 23, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) reacts after scoring during the first half against the Houston Rockets in game three of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors were not supposed to win Game 3. Not only did they win, but they embarrassed the Houston Rockets in front of their own fans. Losing by 35 at home is unacceptable, especially as a number two seed.
-== Top 11 Steph Curry Moments Of His Career ==-
The Warriors controlled this game from the start. They played beautiful basketball and only committed one turnover in the first half. Everything was working for the Warriors and the Rockets could not keep up with the best team in the league.
Coach Steve Kerr was particularly happy with the way his bigs played in Game 3. Both Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli played great and Kerr mentioned them in his postgame press conference. Kerr recognized the importance of those two big guys on the defensive end for the Warriors:
“Bogut was terrific. Both guys were in foul trouble most of the night, but the option to have Festus out there against someone like Dwight is a real luxury. He’s athletic, he’s strong, he’s really come a long way this year defensively and he played big minutes. Both those guys were really important to our defense, anchoring the paint and protecting the rim.”
Bogut scored early and often in the first quarter, but it’s his ability to protect the rim and clog the lane were vital to get Golden State the big lead. When Bogut comes out of the game, Festus Ezeli comes in and does a terrific job of filling in. The Warriors are known for their shooting, but their defensive effort is equally, if not more important.
We all know defense wins championships and yesterday we saw that as they held the Rockets to 80 points. The Warriors need one more game to advance to the NBA Finals where they will likely meet LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but if they keep playing defense like they are accustomed to, then the Warriors should be having a parade in June.