2025 NBA PLAYOFFS West First Round: #2 Houston Rockets vs #7 Golden State Warriors (GSW leads 3-1)

[perempe20]

no thread for Podziemski?

[Statlanta]

Sengun proving he is better than Sabonis with his havoc wreaking. If only he didn't go to early on Draymond

[MikeM]

Tuned in late last night and said yep one foot in the grave and one foot in a wheelchair Jimmy Butler is still better than anyone on HOU

[TrueFan420]

Rockets and Magic are in the same place in a lot of ways. The Celtics had more wins in the playoffs last year than the Magic core has games played in the playoffs. Imagine the amount of playoff games between Curry, Butler, and Green... christ it isn't even close.

They showed a stat at the start of the series. It was first time for most of the rockets starters and key players. FVF/Brooks/Adams only ones with experience. Then you looked at the Warriors and only Podz and Post were new to the playoff. Moody was as a starter but had experience and same for Buddy. Then you looked at Curry, Jimmy and Green and they all had 130ish playoff games.

[TrueFan420]

Jesus, people have been suggestive of Houston being a title contender all year long.

Their build is off.

They need a consolidation move.

I still don't understand why they punted the deadline when they definitely lack a top scoring option who can take over a playoff game like Butler.

They kept banging the table about how they love their roster and want to keep everybody.

Their build isn’t off. They should be starting Jabari tho. Having said that, they should have made a move for a vet scorer and leader. Green is exactly who I thought he was. All sizzle and no steak. Maybe it’s just cause he isn’t ready yet but they need to do something.

[TrueFan420]

But I also don't wanna crap on Houston. Working your tail off all year to secure the #2 seed and getting the Steph and Jimmy Warriors as your reward is nasty, nasty work. Great season for them, there's just more work to be done roster wise.

It’s also a good learning experience for Segun, Green, Jabari and Amen. They need to improve their games. Losing to this Warriors team can become a right of passage that they can build on and become great because of or it could be a cautionary tale like the Grizzles. Mentality is key.

[michaelm]

But I also don't wanna crap on Houston. Working your tail off all year to secure the #2 seed and getting the Steph and Jimmy Warriors as your reward is nasty, nasty work. Great season for them, there's just more work to be done roster wise.

They are way ahead of where anyone could possibly have expected them to be.

[dWadeOwnzYou]

I thought the Joker had the highest basketball IQ in the league, but Jimmy Butler is right up there as well. He's not the flashest star, but he reads the court so well. Its like setting his offensive and defensive awareness slider to 99 in NBA 2K.

[Ice Man]

I thought the Joker had the highest basketball IQ in the league, but Jimmy Butler is right up there as well.

Yep. Jimmy's not the best athlete on the court and he's not much of a shooter. So, the only way he can have such a powerful effect on winning -- which he does, the evidence is everywhere -- is because he is 1) super, super smart and 2) crazy tough, both physically and mentally.

[Special_Puppy]

You know if this was a lakers game we'd have 50 pages by now with people saying it's Rigged out the wazoooo

Lakers Derangement Syndrome plagues basketball fans and I say that as someone who always roots against the Lakers outside of one series.

Which series?

[bigben998]

I think rockets tie up the series but lose in 7

[Ruma85]

I think rockets tie up the series but lose in 7

That's a big ask.

[bigben998]

Jesus, people have been suggestive of Houston being a title contender all year long.

Their build is off.

They need a consolidation move.

I still don't understand why they punted the deadline when they definitely lack a top scoring option who can take over a playoff game like Butler.

They kept banging the table about how they love their roster and want to keep everybody.

Even as a rockets fan, that take was crazy to me. In Houston, people were just happy to be back in the playoffs. No one really expected second round unless we matched up with Grizzlies from what I've heard. Obviously, we hoped for more but once we got warriors, the panic ensued lol.

If we could just make some free throws it would've been 2-2 now though.

[sp6r=underrated]

You know if this was a lakers game we'd have 50 pages by now with people saying it's Rigged out the wazoooo

Lakers Derangement Syndrome plagues basketball fans and I say that as someone who always roots against the Lakers outside of one series.

Which series?

1991 Finals: Kid Lakers over Bulls.

[In-N-Out 247]

Jesus, people have been suggestive of Houston being a title contender all year long.

Their build is off.

They need a consolidation move.

I still don't understand why they punted the deadline when they definitely lack a top scoring option who can take over a playoff game like Butler.

They kept banging the table about how they love their roster and want to keep everybody.

Their build isn’t off. They should be starting Jabari tho. Having said that, they should have made a move for a vet scorer and leader. Green is exactly who I thought he was. All sizzle and no steak. Maybe it’s just cause he isn’t ready yet but they need to do something.

Durant feels like the perfect fit for this roster. He shouldn't be too expensive to trade for (FVV, Whitmore, filler & #9) and while he is 37, he should be able to give them 2-3 good years. Rockets are already good now, add Durant without taking much away and they would be legit contenders.

Booker would be nice as well, but he'll be much more expensive and it seems like the Suns are not ready to trade him yet.

[Mamba81p]

I would like to see some Sengun vs Draymond and Sengun bs others in this series. One of the reasons why rockets had a chance to win this game is because Draymond was in foul trouble and Sengun destroyed the dubs in those minutes.
If Draymond is going to be in foul trouble he better get all the fouls while guarding sengun


The other reason is that big lineup with Adams and sengun. I was shocked udoka folded so easily in the 4th when Kerr started back-an-Adams. Not only they were killing warriors on the boards but the defense was amazing too. I love this Kerr-udoka chess match and I am curious how Kerr will react in game 5.


At this point I don’t expect rockets to crumble under pressure so game 5 and 6 should be very competitive.

[ShootersShoot]

Rockets and Magic are in the same place in a lot of ways. The Celtics had more wins in the playoffs last year than the Magic core has games played in the playoffs. Imagine the amount of playoff games between Curry, Butler, and Green... christ it isn't even close.

They showed a stat at the start of the series. It was first time for most of the rockets starters and key players. FVF/Brooks/Adams only ones with experience. Then you looked at the Warriors and only Podz and Post were new to the playoff. Moody was as a starter but had experience and same for Buddy. Then you looked at Curry, Jimmy and Green and they all had 130ish playoff games.

Draymond alone has played more playoff games than all the hou vets combined.

Brooks, fvv, adams = 152 games
Draymond = 161 games

[reamily]

I would like to see some Sengun vs Draymond and Sengun bs others in this series. One of the reasons why rockets had a chance to win this game is because Draymond was in foul trouble and Sengun destroyed the dubs in those minutes.
If Draymond is going to be in foul trouble he better get all the fouls while guarding sengun


The other reason is that big lineup with Adams and sengun. I was shocked udoka folded so easily in the 4th when Kerr started back-an-Adams. Not only they were killing warriors on the boards but the defense was amazing too. I love this Kerr-udoka chess match and I am curious how Kerr will react in game 5.


At this point I don’t expect rockets to crumble under pressure so game 5 and 6 should be very competitive.

Great learning experience for rockets win o ñr lose hopefully they respond in game 5..

[reamily]

I would like to see some Sengun vs Draymond and Sengun bs others in this series. One of the reasons why rockets had a chance to win this game is because Draymond was in foul trouble and Sengun destroyed the dubs in those minutes.
If Draymond is going to be in foul trouble he better get all the fouls while guarding sengun


The other reason is that big lineup with Adams and sengun. I was shocked udoka folded so easily in the 4th when Kerr started back-an-Adams. Not only they were killing warriors on the boards but the defense was amazing too. I love this Kerr-udoka chess match and I am curious how Kerr will react in game 5.


At this point I don’t expect rockets to crumble under pressure so game 5 and 6 should be very competitive.

Great learning experience for rockets win or lose hopefully they respond in game 5. And try again at san francisco on game 6..

[megarover]

How come Houston dont play Smith more? Whenever I catch the game his shooting and defense versatility stand out to me.