HOUSTON — An exhausted, sweat-covered Dillon Brooks was the first to emerge in the hallway, staring at the ground as he began his trudge toward the locker room.
One by one, his teammates and coaches followed behind, slowly. Dejected. Frustrated. Silenced. A cloud hung over the Houston Rockets like the 3s Buddy Hield had rained on them a few minutes earlier.
At the other end, the Golden State Warriors’ cheers, which engulfed the tunnel of Toyota Center, grew in volume by the second. They celebrated the preservation of a season that was given new life at a time when a jolt was necessary. The prevention of being added to the wrong side of the history books, having given up a 3-1 series lead. And by the end, another playoff series win at the hands of the Rockets.
These two teams have met in the postseason five times in the past decade. There have been two Game 7s, both of which have come on Houston’s home turf. And both times, Golden State emerged victorious. On Sunday night, the Warriors, who moved to 5-0 against the Rockets in postseason history, snatched the souls of a hopeful team, a hopeful arena, and in truth, a hopeful city.
“A poor ending,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said following Houston’s 103-89 loss. “To play one of our worst games in the playoffs and in Game 7 — we had a few bad ones early and corrected ourselves on both sides of the ball. But to come out a little bit flat tonight, that’s going to leave a sour taste in our mouth for sure. The growth the guys have showed, you have the blueprint for where we want to be and it’s a standard on a yearly basis, but all of that doesn’t matter when you go out with a chance to move on and advance. Laid an egg in our last game; there’s sting from it.”
From a basketball standpoint, we could talk about Game 7 — a tactical masterclass by Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Between Game 1 and Game 6, both teams tried several strategic adjustments. We could talk about how Golden State played 48 minutes in a 1-3-1 zone and dared Houston — which finished the regular season 20th in 3s attempted, 22nd in 3s made and 21st in 3-point percentage — to make outside shots.
We could talk about why Jabari Smith Jr., who had routinely proven himself to be a zone breaker, momentum-shifter and overall big-time player, played 12 minutes, taking five out-of-rhythm shots. We could talk about why the Rockets finished with as many 3s attempted (18) as the Warriors made. We could even talk about how Houston’s double-big lineup, Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams who wreaked havoc on the offensive glass, ultimately becoming the team’s undoing. Or why the Rockets, who prided themselves on not allowing Steph Curry to bury them with a barrage of 3s, succumbed to Hield, the man who said the Warriors wouldn’t return to Houston after the Game 5 win, to the tune of 33 points on an eye-popping 12-of-15 shooting (9-of-11 from deep).
By Game 7 (which was the 12th time both teams had faced each other this season), there wasn’t a lineup combination the Rockets hadn’t seen or a rotation that caught them by surprise. Kevon Looney, who had been relegated to the bench for most of the series, played 11 minutes. Jonathan Kuminga took four shots in seven minutes, missing all of them.
Game 7s aren’t about tactical battles. Game 7s are about endurance. Not physically — four of the Warriors’ starters are older than 32, compared to Houston’s youth. Mentally. There’s a psychological advantage the Warriors have mastered, and which the young, inexperienced Rockets must acquire, through losses like this. And as painful as being eliminated in the first round can be for a No. 2 seed, the long-term lessons, the ultimate payoffs, are better engraved in defeat.
“Gained a lot of respect for them,” Warriors veteran Draymond Green told The Athletic. “We played them in regular-season games, but you don’t really know someone until you play them in a playoff series. I think we got to know those guys very well. Tough as hell. They earned a lot of respect from me. A bunch. You go through a playoff series against somebody, one of two things happen — you completely lose respect for them or gain a lot of respect. And I gained a f— ton of respect. F— ton. F— ton.”
There’s no doubt this Rockets team will be a force for years to come. Şengün and Amen Thompson are 22 years old. Jalen Green is 23. Even if this team remains untouched in the offseason, the growth from this series should improve Houston’s prospects in the long run.
“I’m extremely proud of these guys,” Fred VanVleet said. “I look at all of these guys like my baby brothers, except they’re not babies anymore. They grew up a lot this year and made huge strides. Incredible regular season. It’s a tough way to end the season — it’s always tough, but only one team can win a championship. Heartbreaking loss, Game 7 can go either way and it wasn’t our best performance. But I’m not going to sum up the whole experience based on one night. I’m proud of everybody, the entire roster. One of my favorite seasons I’ve been a part of. Everybody should be excited about the future and what’s to come.”
But that doesn’t mean that this team can rest on its laurels. Udoka didn’t want to speak much about any moral victories because there are none. As experienced as the Warriors are, this was a seventh-seeded team on the road. Golden State was able to take Houston’s offense — an equal-opportunity scheme — and use it to the Rockets’ detriment, daring someone to seize control of a moment that never came. The Warriors were extremely comfortable flexing aggressive coverages. Şengün finished with 21 points on 23 shots, with several close-range misses. VanVleet, who had led the charge in Games 4, 5 and 6, was held to 17 points. Green, who had been successfully taken out of the series, took just eight shots and finished with eight points.
This offseason will bring many questions. It’s paramount that the Rockets make major upgrades in their shooting department. Houston’s coaching staff could benefit from a software update to their in-game schematics, but this isn’t the first or last time they’ll be faced with a zone defense. According to Synergy tracking data, the Rockets’ offense logged 67 possessions against zone, scoring a measly .687 points per possession.
Because of its youth, talent, draft capital and current position in the NBA — an exciting team on the rise — Houston will be a natural landing spot for bigger names this summer. Houston’s brass hoped to go as far as possible in the playoffs but is using this current campaign as data collection, a good tool for immediate and future evaluation. The likes of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, and Devin Booker will be linked in the rumor mill in the coming weeks, all with different pros and cons depending on Houston’s direction. Team sources say the Rockets will monitor the market closely and will hold internal discussions about potential fits and offers.
League and team sources have also indicated that VanVleet wants to remain in Houston for the long run, which VanVleet spoke about Sunday. Tari Eason and Smith are also extension-eligible, and team sources say the Rockets are hopeful to keep them in town for the long haul.
“They’re on their way,” Curry told The Athletic postgame. “I mean, it’s hard to win in the regular season — building that confidence matters and (building) an identity of how you do it. You know they’re going to be back. They’re young. Got a promising future, for sure.”
(Photo of Dillon Brooks: Troy Taormina / Imagn Images)
