Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have a chance to secure a 3-1 advantage in their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets when they meet for game four at Chase Center on Monday.

The Warriors regained control of the series over the weekend with a 104-93 victory in game three in Oakland. Smart adjustments in the paint and on the boards shifted the momentum back to Golden State on Saturday. After being outrebounded by 14 in game two, they narrowed the gap to six in game three while outscoring Houston 44-38 in the paint, a significant improvement from the 44-28 deficit in the prior game.

Golden State recorded nine steals and shot 80% from the free-throw line in game three, a notable step up from their 61.1% performance in game two. Coach Steve Kerr also marked a milestone, surpassing Larry Brown with his 101st playoff win. At their best, the Warriors’ fluid ball movement shines, and their 26 assists in game three were the highest in the series so far.

Historically, Golden State has advanced in their last 14 playoff series when leading 2-1 after three games and has won two of their last three game four postseason matchups. They’ve also dominated the Rockets in their last five home playoff games, limiting Houston to 100 points or fewer in three of those contests.

For Houston’s Ime Udoka, it’s time to regroup after the Rockets couldn’t sustain their game two energy despite a solid first quarter. The Rockets’ bench struggled, being outscored 42-28 by Golden State’s reserves on Saturday.

Houston faced difficulties from the free-throw line in Game 3, finishing with a percentage of just 58.3%. Their chances weren’t helped by committing 14 turnovers during the game.

The Rockets have learned the hard way that it’s not about how you start, but how you finish. Despite leading after every first quarter, they’ve been outscored in the fourth quarter in each game of the series.

Their defense, usually a strong suit, has been lacking on the road, allowing over 100 points in three consecutive away games dating back to the regular season. They gave up 134 and 140 points to the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, respectively.

In three of their last four Game 4 playoff appearances, Houston ended up on the losing side, and they’ve won only one of their last 10 postseason road games.