Rockets vs. Warriors Game 1: Keys to the Game

The Houston Rockets are set to face the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of what should be a thrilling first-round series in the NBA playoffs. At 52-30, Houston is riding hot into the postseason after securing the second seed in the Western Conference. However, Golden State is just as hot, if not more, after acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline.

While the Rockets are a higher seed, many analysts still pick the Warriors to win to series. How does Houston silence the doubters with such a young core going against one of the more experienced teams in the playoffs?

Take Away Threes (Stephen Curry)

Butler has unlocked an entirely different Warriors rotation, giving Stephen Curry more help on both sides of the floor. Most of their lineups have been small ball, putting Draymond Green at the center while Bradin Podziemski and Moses Moody back Curry and Butler on the wings.

The Rockets have prided themselves on having one of the top defenses all year long, and it needs to come alive now more than ever. Curry and Podziemski are lethal from deep, so when they get hot, the offense opens up.

Houston needs to run Golden State off the line and force them to take it inside on players like Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Steven Adams. Wing defenders such as Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Jalen Green are expected to play even heavier minutes than they did in the regular season in order to stop the Warriors' guards.

If it means forcing the ball into Butler's hands, so be it. The Rockets need to keep the ball out of Curry and Podziemski's hands, because they might not be able to combat Golden State's high-scoring offense.

Play at a Fast Pace

Golden State slowed down its offense after acquiring Butler at the trade deadline. The Warriors went from a pace of 99.51 (17th) before Feb. 6 to 99.15 (19th) through the rest of the regular season. Butler allows them to run their offense properly to free up Curry, while being able to attack on his own.

Houston's pace isn't exactly fast either, despite being a young team. In fact, the Rockets were a slower team than the Warriors through the first half of the season, then started to pick things up a bit.

Now is the perfect opportunity for Houston to show off its fresh legs. The team lacks true three-point shooting, so the key should be to emphasize the fast break and attack the basket in transition. The Rockets can do so as Sengun is not only a great rebounder but a player with a high IQ and a knack for passing as well.

Feel the Game, Get Your Feet Wet

At the end of the day, this is a highly experienced team going up against a young, up-and-coming core with not much to lose. The Rockets already have plenty of doubters, and this is only the first what should be many postseason runs in the near future.

Game 1 should give Houston a good feel for the series and get many players' feet wet. Remember, not many of these guys have even sniffed the postseason since entering the league. At the end of the day, the two goals are to win and get good experience in a high-stakes environment.