Warriors stomp Rockets on Christmas

Some wins feel better than others.

The Golden State Warriors haven’t had many wins this year to compare against - they have three times as many defeats as victories - but their eighth win of the year surely felt the best.

At home on Christmas day, in what was no longer billed as a marquee matchup, the Warriors upset the Houston Rockets, 116-104.

It was a total team effort, but two players shined especially bright on the holiday. Draymond Green looked like playoff Dray, finishing with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, while playing spectacular defense against the potent offense of Houston. And Damion Lee had 22 points, a game-high 15 rebounds, plus 4 assists and 3 steals, while shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 10-for-10 from the free throw line.

The Warriors focused their defense on James Harden, and dared Russell Westbrook to shoot away. Both Harden and Westbrook obliged, with the latter taking 14 more shots than the former.

The strategy worked. Westbrook chucked away, missing all 8 triples that he attempted. He finished with 30 points, but needed 32 shots and 8 free throws to get there. Harden finished with 24 points and 11 assists.

Golden State has now won three games in a row, and are clearly playing their best basketball of the season. And they’re having fun.

Happy Holidays, Dub Nation!