The Rockets will probably lose to the Warriors. But, what if…

Davis Rich | Editor-in-Chief

A NBA team has never come back from a 3-0 playoff deficit. But let’s pretend there’s a non-zero chance Houston comes back to beat the Warriors. What do the Rockets need to do to make their comeback?

1. Take a Splash Brother and a big man out of commission.

The entire NBA knows that if Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are hitting shots and Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut lock down on defense, the Warriors are unbeatable. Golden State becomes mortal when two of those four players have tough games. In Game Four, Bogut played 21 scoreless minutes and Curry sat for nearly half the game with a head injury. In Memphis’ Game Three win in the conference semifinals, Draymond Green was 1 of 8 from the field and Curry shot 8 of 21. In Game Two of that series, Thompson and Curry shot 3 of 17 from behind the arc in a seven point loss. From my perspective, subtracting Thompson and Green is most likely and most deadly for the Warriors. Thompson won’t be able to guard James Harden and provide secondary scoring, and the Warriors would miss Green’s energy and defensive tenacity. 

2. Get Josh Smith going.

Josh Smith burst back onto the NBA scene in a positive way with a 14-point fourth quarter performance in Game Six of the conference semifinals against the Clippers, propelling Houston to a shocking comeback victory that deflated Los Angeles’ spirits and surely cut loose some of the baggage Smith had been carrying with him throughout the season. Similarly, the 11-year veteran opened Game Four against the Warriors with 13 points in the first quarter, and finished the game 7 of 8 from the field (though he was 2 of 13 from the free throw line). Any scoring Smith can provide eases the burden on James Harden, who was able to rest in the first quarter and then step on Golden State’s throat in the final period with 17 points. 

3. Want it. Keep the momentum going.

My biggest problem with Houston in the playoffs so far is that their drive seems to fluctuate night to night. The most egregious offenses were in Games Three and Four against Los Angeles, when Houston gave the effort of a senior on their senior project. Houston showed some heart by fending off a furious Golden State rally Monday night, but they will need to keep it up for three more games. The Rockets can never equal Golden State’s brilliance on the court, but they can control their own output and effort.