The Golden State Warriors vs. the Houston Rockets series is widely regarded as one of the most interesting series in the first round. After trading for Jimmy Butler, the Golden State Warriors went on a run. But they didn’t finish the regular season strong, losing three of their last five games. The Houston Rockets, on the other hand, are one of the most improved teams. After narrowly missing the play-in last season, they finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Warriors-Rockets Showdown: 3 Stats That Might Swing the Series
There will be plenty of factors that will determine the winner of the series between the Warriors and Rockets. However, we want to focus on three stats that might swing the series. There is plenty at stake between the two. Let’s dive into it.
Turnovers
Both the Rockets and the Warriors can be a bit careless with the ball. Houston averages 13.9 turnovers per game, while the Warriors average 14 turnovers per game. While their last game might not be the best example because the Warriors were ending a brutal stretch of playing four games in six days, we have to look at it. The Rockets won that game with their defense, forcing the Warriors to 20 turnovers. Steph Curry and Draymond Green each had four.
For the Rockets, forcing turnovers means easy transition baskets thanks to their athletic wings. The Warriors cannot afford to lose the ball. Here is another interesting stat: the Warriors are among the best at forcing turnovers, causing 7.6 per game (5th).
Offensive Rebounds
The Rockets led the NBA in the regular season with 14.6 offensive rebounds per game. They can throw two big guys on the floor like Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams. The Warriors like to play small, and Draymond Green is not in a position to box out and battle for rebounds with two bigger guys than him.
The Warriors might have to play Kevon Looney more in this series to prevent the Rockets from grabbing as many offensive rebounds. The interesting part is that the Warriors are a good offensive-rebounding team as well.
Going back to their last matchup, Sengun grabbed seven offensive rebounds, while Looney grabbed five. The Rockets as a team, had one more, 16 to 15. Offensive rebounds can kill a team’s spirit, especially when they lead to a three-pointer. Whichever team controls the boards, will have a better chance of winning the series.
Clutch Play
In the playoffs, games often come down to the wire and to the last few possessions. Both the Warriors and Rockets have plenty of experience in clutch games this season. The Warriors played 45 such games, going 25-20. The Rockets played 44 clutch games, going 26-18.
Here is the interesting part. The Rockets and Warriors are among the three worst teams in field goal percentage in the clutch. The Rockets are the worst, shooting only 38.1% in clutch moments. The Warriors have the third-worst percentage in such situations at 39.4%. How have they been able to win close games? Both the Rockets and Warriors rely on their defense in the final minutes.
Experience will play a huge factor here as well. The Warriors have proven championship players in Curry and Green, plus Butler who has made two Finals. The only player on the Rockets with significant playoff and Finals experience is Fred VanVleet.
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