Much has changed since the 1980s and ’90s, when NBA rivalries — the type defined by mutual disdain and thrown elbows — vaulted the league’s popularity into a new stratosphere.
Thanks to near-annual roster turnover and fleeting allegiances, players have come to view an opponent largely as just the next team on the schedule. The Charles Barkley generation, which still clings to the notion that games are “battles” and the opposition is the “enemy,” is irked that laughing and joking between teams has become commonplace.
In this friendlier era, Warriors-Rockets might be the closest the NBA comes to the heavyweight matchups of Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics. No other pair of teams better fills a rivalry’s two biggest criteria: competitive balance and contempt for one another.
Over the past five years, as it has charted a dynastic course, Golden State faced Houston three times in the playoffs. In barely outlasting the Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference finals, the Warriors shed their air of invincibility and showed that that they are, in fact, beatable.
After long insisting that Houston is merely another team it’ll probably have to get by to reach the sport’s summit, Golden State is finally offering clues that it sees the Rockets as worthy of that “rival” label. After the Warriors’ first loss Sunday to the Suns since Nov. 9, 2014, Stephen Curry mentioned that Wednesday’s nationally televised game in Houston was “an opportunity to send a statement.”
Asked later about Curry’s comment, Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni shot back, declaring with a laugh, “Yeah, well, they should have probably said it before the (Phoenix) game.” It was the type of back-and-forth through the media that has helped make some of the NBA’s most historic rivalries so captivating.
But in recent years, as players have professed that many of their closest friends are on opposing teams, the league’s fans have waited for a return to the high-stakes matchups in which the two franchises clearly didn’t like one another. Perhaps not since Lakers guard Kobe Bryant publicly admitted to hating the seven-seconds-or-less Phoenix teams has the NBA boasted a bona fide rivalry.
The Clippers wanted to be Golden State’s nemesis, but they couldn’t win enough games to qualify. Then there’s Cleveland, which faced Steve Kerr’s team in four straight Finals and even beat it for the 2015-16 title. Ask many in the Warriors’ locker room about that matchup, and they’ll concede that it was more a rivalry with a single player — LeBron James — than a true rivalry between two franchises.
The Rockets could cement their status as the Warriors’ rival by beating them in the playoffs — not an easy proposition, given the Warriors’ experience and All-Star-laden roster. But Houston has an intriguing mix of talent, toughness and bravado that, if developed properly, could make it Golden State’s biggest championship threat in the West.
“Obviously, Houston’s gotten a lot better since early in the season when they were struggling,” Kerr said. “We’ve probably played Houston 30 times in the past five years. I mean, three different times in the playoffs. They’re a great team.”
Houston guard James Harden is obliterating his numbers from last season, when he was the MVP. With a playing style that draws fouls and the Warriors’ ire, he is averaging a league-best 36.2 points (eight more than the next closest), 7.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds.
Chris Paul, whose hamstring injury in large part prevented Houston from ousting Golden State in the West finals, has been a driving force behind the Rockets’ nine-game winning streak. Even when his shot isn’t falling, Paul stabilizes Houston’s offense, takes pressure off Harden and finds open teammates.
Over the past five games, the Rockets have held opponents to an average of 97.8 points. Since opening the season 11-14, Houston has gone 31-11, climbing 3½ games back of the Warriors for the West’s top seed.
Meanwhile, Golden State is mired in a 4-6 stretch and fresh off its ugliest loss of the season. Kerr opted not to show his team video of Sunday’s debacle against Phoenix because he didn’t believe the Warriors could learn anything from it.
“I think (Wednesday) is an important game for us, mainly because we’re trying to build some momentum and we’re trying to gain some traction here late in the season,” Kerr said. “… We’re going to play, and we’re going to be ready.”
The Rockets seem to have found a game plan that works against Golden State, which has dropped five of its past six matchups against Houston. In building a 3-0 series lead on the Warriors this season, the Rockets consistently have outshot them from beyond the arc, made more trips to the foul line and forced them into silly turnovers.
But Golden State, which will be without Kevin Durant (right ankle contusion) on Wednesday, won’t fret if it gets swept in the regular season by Houston. This is a rivalry built for May.
No comments:
Post a Comment