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Houston Rockets NBA Playoffs: THREE Game-Changers Against The Warriors

By Bryson Jones

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Tomorrow will be the start of the Houston Rockets going up against the Golden State Warriors, a familiar foe.  The NBA’s reigning MVP Stephen Curry will get yet another opportunity to face off against Rockets megastar James Harden.

After a masterful season for the Warriors in which they broke the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls record of 72-10 by posting a record of 73-9, the number one-seeded Warriors set their sights on the Rockets.

Many experts, media and fans have Golden State winning the series .  I’ve noticed that not even Houston fans are optimistic after seeing various polls in which fans gave the Rockets a zero percent chance of even winning a game.  Saying that, I will entertain the one percent chance the Rockets can defeat the Golden State Warriors.

Here are three players that we didn’t have in last year’s postseason that will certainly be game-changers for us:

Donatas Motiejunas

Last season, the Rockets were short-handed two starters going into the playoffs.  One of those two starters was Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas, who had back surgery and sat out for all of last year’s postseason going into the mid-point of this season.  As far as having an impact this series, Rockets’ coach J.B. Bickerstaff might be best served benching Motiejunas for this series because of conflicting match ups with the Warriors.

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Motiejunas is only averaging seven points and three rebounds per game this season and will most likely be matched up with Draymond Green.  I highly-regard this as a mismatch.  Not only will he be a liability offensively, but also defensively which is what the Rockets need the most help on going into this series.

The Warriors play a lot of small ball, so it would be best served if D-Mo sat this one out.

Patrick Beverley

The second of the two starters that were out last postseason was the Rockets point guard — and professional agitator — Patrick Beverley.  Pat comes into the post season averaging 10 points and just under four assists per game.

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Although those numbers won’t knock your socks off, where his value comes in is with his intangibles, defense and leadership on the floor.

He seems to always get the clutch rebound in the fourth quarter or hit the big shot when it matters the most.

As for his assignment, he gets the grand prize of having to guard and chase Stephen Curry around all series, a task that was on 37-year-old Jason Terry‘s hands last year.

Michael Beasley

Beasley signed with the Rockets in early March, after spending time in China he has re-dedicated himself and found new life with this team. Beasley gives us something that not only they were struggling with this season, but last season as well.

What would that be?  Yep, you’ve guessed it.

Scoring off the bench.  

The Rockets have a player who can effectively run the offense and get you multiple buckets while Harden gets a chance to catch a breather.

Once you add Beasley’s offensive prowess with his natural play-making abilities alongside Josh Smith in the second unit, you have something.

Regardless of of what the Rockets do — or don’t do for that matter — this series against Golden State will be a tough one with lots of ups-and-downs.  I won’t count this team out, but at the end of the day if the Rockets play defense in the same fashion for the majority of the season, the Warriors will win the series in four, possibly five games.

Next: THREE Ways To Beat The Warriors

Have the Rockets turned a corner as a team?

We’ll find out tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. CDT.

Stick with House of Houston for all of your Rockets coverage.

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