:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63228784/963429854.jpg.1552447637.jpg)
Game Details
WHO: Golden State Warriors (45-21) at Houston Rockets (42-25)
WHEN: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, March 13th, 2019
WHERE: Toyota Center — Houston, TX
WATCH: ESPN, CSNBA
RADIO: 95.7 The Game
Super Friendly Blog Buddy: The Dream Shake
If you’re looking for a team to dethrone the back-to-back world champions, the apparent chic choice is the red-hot Houston Rockets. The Mercury News’ Mark Medina wrote about some of the recent success the Rockets have had against Golden State:
The Warriors have lost to Houston three times this season and five of their last six. And they have done so by allowing the Rockets to exploit various weaknesses.
Though the Warriors are shooting more efficiently (47.4 percent) against Houston (43.2 percent), the Rockets have outscored the Warriors (120-110.7) for three simple reasons. The Rockets have outshot the Warriors in 3-point attempts (17.3 – 10.7). Houston has 67 free-throw attempts to the Warriors’ 57. And the Rockets have also collected 29 steals and forced 34 turnovers.
James Harden is also gunning for his second straight MVP, powered by his gaudy scoring stats. He’s averaging 36.2 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.5 rebounds.
James Harden could go scoreless the rest of the season and still average 28.6 PPG…which would lead the league
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 10, 2019
(H/T @NBA_Reddit) pic.twitter.com/N66KMWV4zt
His former teammate and darkhorse MVP candidate Kevin Durant won’t be playing in this tilt, as a precautionary measure to protect his sore ankle. With that in mind, we won’t truly get a potential playoff preview between these two teams.
At least one major piece has missed all four of the Warriors-Rockets games this season: Curry the first, Paul the second, Harden the third, KD the fourth.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 12, 2019
The Rockets are hungry to exorcise the demons that haunt them from the Warriors booting them out of the playoffs three times in the last four years. That includes that painful Game 7 loss on Houston’s home floor last Western Conference Finals.
Meanwhile, the #1 seeded Warriors are in the driver’s seat out West, rolling down the windows, turning up the radio, and slapping themselves in the face, anything to fight off drowsiness as they cruise to the playoffs.
Best point guard alive Stephen Curry let Dub Nation know that he’s expecting the Dubs to make a statement in Houston. Rockets center Clint Capela opened his mouth for some reason in response.
More Capela on Curry calling Wednesday's game a statement game: "Maybe they're in that situation where they need to (call it a statement game) to prove themselves that they are at that level."
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) March 12, 2019
Spicy talk from a role player from the #3 seed in March!! I like it. The Rockets are gunning for a regular season sweep and the game will be in Houston. Should be a fun one, Dub Nation!