GAME THREAD #18: Warriors vs Rockets - Vengeance Will Be Mine!

Warriors: 6-11

Rockets: 10-8

Tip-Off: 7:30pm

TV: CSN Bay Area

Radio: KNBR 680

Blog Buddy: The Dream Shake

Okay, shake it off. That last game against the Nuggets can be easily forgotten, time to move on.

The last time the Rockets came to Oakland, they won on opening night (GSOM Night 7) with their superstar-less roster. They shot 46% from 3 and had 14 steals. Will this time be different?

The Warriors have a few things going for them this time:

1. The Rockets have one of the toughest back to backs in the league - Clippers on Wednesday, Warriors on Thursday. Talk about a house of horrors. Just kidding. Both teams aren't so great, but at least they're not this team. Ouch. 0-18.
   
2. No Stephen Jackson.
3. Monta Ellis is playing the best ball of his career. I had questioned whether we'd ever see the old Monta after his accident and less than stellar play earlier this year, but I think he's made quite the statement recently. Honestly, I'm more impressed with his defensive effort every game more so than the offense.
4. Chuck Hayes is an excellent defender, but he really has nobody to defend down low on the Warriors. That's how you neutralize a great defender!
5. Hopefully some of Ron Artest's halftime beverage habits from his Chicago Bulls days transferred to some Rockets players (for this game only of course).
   
6. It's Hardwood Classics night! The Warriors always play well when they break out the alternate jerseys. Nothing like putting San Francisco or The City across your chest to make you play better.

Questions

1. Will someone contain Aaron Brooks? He had 12 assists the last time these two teams met. If Monta's guarding Brooks, who's guarding Battier and Ariza?
   
2. The Rockets love to shoot the 3 - 4th most attempts per game in the league. If they get hot like they did on opening night, this game will be tough. Someone has to close out and get a hand up to make it tough to shoot those 3's. Ariza, Battier, Brooks and Budinger will bomb away. Watch the Rockets ball rotation as well. They'll whip it around the perimeter for open 3's. Can the Warriors keep the Rockets from getting hot outside?
   
3. Inside, Scola knows how to score in all sorts of different ways. Will anyone be able to keep him under control?
   

Predictions

• Warriors win by Monta (8)
• Monta scores Monta x 4
• Anthony Randolph falls on the floor 5+ times
• The Warriors help Scola and Landry look like the next great twin towers
• Anthony Morrow for 3,3,3,3,3