Warriors make statement in Game 1 rout of Rockets despite Curry’s ankle

The Golden State Warriors wasted no time proving they’re the better team against the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Ben Golliver | Apr 16, 2016

Warriors make statement in Game 1 rout of Rockets despite Curry’s ankle /

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The Warriors didn’t claim full control of the 2015 Western Conference finals against the Rockets until Game 3, when a 35-point road win provided a one-sided certainty that had been missing from Golden State’s two previous home wins by a combined five points. This year’s rematch, by contrast, looked decided within the first six minutes on Saturday.

Golden State stormed out to an 18–6 lead midway through the first quarter of a 104–78 home victory over Houston in Game 1 of a first-round series, building a 27-point halftime lead that held up despite the loss of Stephen Curry to a tweaked right ankle.

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All of the Warriors’ major presumed advantages—a more cohesive offensive attack, a far superior defense, a greater effort level, better chemistry—were evident early. Before rolling his ankle, Curry played fast and loose, sinking five three-pointers on his way to a game-high 24 points in just 20 minutes. All around Curry, and in his absence, the ball moved and moved: Golden State registered 26 assists on its 39 field goals, regularly staying ahead of Houston’s defensive rotations to set- up high-percentage looks at the rim.

The Rockets’ attack, meanwhile, was choppy and ineffective. Dwight Howard finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but Houston was so slow to involve him early that even Draymond Green made a point to mention it in his postgame press conference. James Harden, the league’s second-highest scorer behind Curry, managed only 17 points on 19 shots while committing six turnovers against a defense that was paying extra attention to his off-the-dribble attacks.

Interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff lamented the subsequent lack of movement during a first half that saw the Rockets score only 33 points.

“[The Warriors] had 10 eyes on the ballhandler and we didn’t move them around enough. This can’t be a one-sided game offensively,” he told reporters. “[The Warriors are] selling out to stop [Harden] driving right now. Their four man is flooding the paint.”

None of Harden’s teammates provided much help in the floor-spacing department: While Houston’s All-Star guard went 3 for 5 from deep, the rest of his squad combined to shoot just 3-of-17 on threes. Without much room to work in traffic, Harden struggled to get to the basket and never got to the free-throw line. Remarkably, Golden State held Harden without a free throw attempt for the first time in a playoff game since Game 1 of the 2012 Finals, when Harden faced the Heat as a member of the Thunder.

Lacking their bearings with Harden quiet and Howard forgotten, the Rockets alternated between looking desperate and embarrassed. Early on, Patrick Beverley hounded Curry on the dribble, leading to a brief shoving match that resulted in double technical fouls.

Rockets' Patrick Beverley scraps with Warriors' Stephen Curry pic.twitter.com/AcqrEyOoAX
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 16, 2016

Then, in the fourth quarter, Donatas Motiejunas took exception after Green flipped him to the floor. That sequence led to a technical on Green, but no real escalation. Both exchanges had the feeling of a team hoping to salvage some pride in the midst of a beatdown.

Warriors' Draymond Green gets technical foul after flipping Rockets' Donatas Motiejunas to the ground pic.twitter.com/HKT1QLswUi
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 16, 2016

The lingering intrigue from Game 1 was provided not by the on-court action or chest-to-chest theatrics, but instead the uncertainty around Curry’s ankle. After twice leaving the court to re-tape the ankle, Curry departed for good with a little more than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter. Although he told reporters after the game that he asked back in on three separate occasions, Warriors coach Steve Kerr opted to rest his point guard for the final 19-plus minutes, even as Green and Klay Thompson played deep into the fourth quarter during the blowout win.

PHOTOS: NBA championship rings throughout the years

NBA Championship Rings Through the Years

2017-18 Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their third title in four years. The team got reversible rings with 74 sapphries on one side of the ring. The 74 represents the total number of victories the team earned during the regular season and playoffs in bringing home the franchise's sixth championship.

2016-17 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals to win their second title in three years.

2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

NBA Finals MVP LeBron James and the Cavs defeated the defending champion Warriors in seven games for these rings featuring the Cavaliers’ “C” wrapped around the Larry O’Brien trophy.

2014-15 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors took home these beauties after upending LeBron James and the Cavaliers in six games for their first title in 40 years.

2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

The Heat aimed to three-peat, but the Spurs had other ideas. Kawhi Leonard had a couple of breakout performances on his way to series MVP, and San Antonio ran away from Miami in five games.

2012-13 Miami Heat

These rings would have never seen the light of day had Ray Allen not made one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals history. Thanks to Allen, the Heat rallied and defeated the Spurs in overtime in Game 6, and then won two days later to repeat as champs.

2011-12 Miami Heat

LeBron James got his first ring as the Heat overwhelmed the Thunder in five games. James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists.

2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Dallas won three straight games to erase a 2-1 deficit and squash the newly formed Miami Big Three's title dreams. This was also the Mavericks' first NBA title in franchise history.

2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics held a 3-2 lead in this series, but the Lakers took care of business at the Staples Center in Game 6 and 7 to repeat as champs. This was the fifth and final set of rings for Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant.

2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers survived in a pair of overtime battles and then pulled away from the Magic in Game 5 to win their first NBA title since 2002's three-peat. Kobe Bryant won series MVP with averages of 32.4 points and 7.4 assists.

2007-08 Boston Celtics

Acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen during the off-season paid off quickly for Boston. In their first year, Garnett and Allen teamed up with Paul Pierce to defeat the Lakers in six games and bring the Celtics new jewelry for the first time since 1986.

2006-07 San Antonio Spurs

LeBron James' Cavaliers broke through to the finals, but they were no match for the Spurs, who completed the sweep for their third title in five years.

2005-06 Miami Heat

In their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, the Heat became the third team in league history to win a championship after trailing 0-2. Dwayne Wade averaged 39.3 points in the next four games as Miami won the series in six.

2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

This series was almost as close as possible. The Spurs and the Pistons entered the fourth quarter of Game 7 tied, and Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili led San Antonio in the fourth quarter to its third title under coach Greg Popovich.

2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Larry Brown had an NCAA title ring, and a 4-1 victory over the Lakers gave the coach his first NBA championship ring. Brown remains the only coach to win an NCAA and NBA title.

2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

In one of the great all-time playoff performances, Tim Duncan fell barely shy of a quadruple double with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks in the series-clinching Game 6.

2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers

The Nets did not put up much resistance as the Lakers completed a 4-0 sweep for their third straight title, giving coach Phil Jackson his ninth NBA title in 12 seasons.

2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

Allen Iverson carried the 76ers to a Eastern Conference title and Game 1 victory against the Lakers, but Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were too much for The Answer. Los Angeles won the next four games, including three straight in Philadelphia, to win its second straight championship.

1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers

In his return to coaching, Phil Jackson guided the Lakers to a 4-2 series victory against the Pacers, coached by Larry Bird. Shaquille O'Neal averaged 36.3 points and 12.3 rebounds, earning his first of three straight Finals MVPs.

1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

In a battle of dominant frontcourts, David Robinson and Tim Duncan bested Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson as the Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games for their first NBA title.

1997-98 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan's jump shot with 5.6 seconds remaining in Game 6 gave the Bulls their second three-peat of the decade. Since then, Chicago has no NBA Finals appearances and only one conference finals appearance.

1996-97 Chicago Bulls

In a series featuring six Hall of Fame players, the Bulls defeated the Jazz in six games as Michael Jordan fought through food poisoning to lead Chicago to wins in Game 5 and Game 6.

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

Dennis Rodman tied an NBA Finals record in Game 2 with 11 offensive rebounds against Seattle and then did it again in Game 6, the series clincher, but Michael Jordan was once again the no-brainer series MVP, averaging 27.3 points 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

1994-95 Houston Rockets

Hakeem Olajuwon taught young Shaquille O'Neal a few lessons in this series as the Rockets swept the Magic for their second consecutive NBA title. The Rockets were the first No. 6 seed to win a Finals series.

1993-94 Houston Rockets

The Rockets ended a five-season title drought for the Western Conference as Hakeem Olajuwon charged victories in Game 6 and Game 7 in Houston.

1992-93 Chicago Bulls

The Bulls became the first team to three-peat since Bill Russell's Celtics in the 1960s. Chicago defeated Phoenix in six games, leaving Charles Barkley without a ring.

1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan shrugged his way to a NBA Finals record six first-half three-pointers in Game of 1 of this series, and the Bulls went on to win in six games.

1990-91 Chicago Bulls

The Bulls recorded their first-ever NBA title as Michael Jordan led the way averaging 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks to defeat the Showtime Lakers in five games.

1989-90 Detroit PIstons

For the first time since 1979, the NBA Finals did not include at least one of the Celtics or the Lakers. The Bad Boy Pistons faced Clyde Drexler and the Trail Blazers, winning in five games for their second straight championship.

1988-89 Detroit PIstons

The Lakers led entering the fourth quarter three times during this series but could never hold on as the Pistons swept them in four games.

1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

This time, the Lakers got the best of the Pistons in a thrilling seven games series where the final two games were decided by a combined four points.

1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

In a high-scoring series, the Lakers and the Celtics each broke the century in the first five games. Then Los Angeles held Boston to 93 points to win the series in Game 6.

1985-86 Boston Celtics

The Celtics captured their second title in three years, defeating the Rockets in six games. Larry Bird fell just shy of averaging a triple with 24 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists.

1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers

In a series that featured nine Hall of Fame players, the Lakers got revenge from one year earlier with a 4-2 victory against the Celtics.

1983-84 Boston Celtics

The Celtics came out on top in the first of three 1980s finals meetings with the Lakers. Larry Bird averaged 27.4 points and 14 rebounds, getting the best of Magic Johnson, who's Michigan State team got defeated Bird's Indiana State squad in the 1979 NCAA championship.

1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

In a rematch of the 1982 finals, Moses Malone tore up the Lakers front line for 25.8 points and 18 rebounds per game as Philadelphia swept Los Angeles.

Kerr labeled Curry “questionable” for Game 2 against the Rockets, which is set for Oracle on Monday.

“We’re not going to let him play if theres any risk of making it worse,” he said. “Obviously we’re hoping we’re going to be in the playoffs for the next couple of months. We don’t want to take any chances.”

Curry, who played in 79 games this season and has missed a combined 13 games over the last four seasons after dealing with ankle injuries earlier in his career, intimated that the injury wouldn’t keep him sidelined.

“I don’t see a scenario where I’ll be out,” Curry said, when asked about his Game 2 status.

After pushing hard down the stretch to accumulate a record-setting 73 regular-season wins, Golden State opened the postseason portion of its title defense with a strong statement game rather than a let-up. As long as Curry’s optimistic assessment of his ankle proves accurate, Houston will be hard-pressed to take a game, much less make this a series.

Published Apr 16, 2016

BEN GOLLIVER

Ben Golliver is a staff writer for SI.com and has covered the NBA for various outlets since 2007. The native Oregonian and Johns Hopkins University graduate currently resides in Los Angeles.