Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors: Postgame Grades and Analysis
The Golden State Warriors hammered the Houston Rockets 126-113 Wednesday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
Led by Klay Thompson's 27-point outburst, eight Warriors netted eight points or more. Golden State held a 24-point lead entering the closing period before the Rockets' bench made the final score look marginally respectable.
James Harden registered a game-high 33 points, but he was the lone productive starter for his team. Houston shot a putrid 21.1 percent from the floor during the decisive second quarter, during which Steve Kerr's squad earned a 30-13 advantage and opened the proverbial floodgates.
The Dubs eclipsed the century mark before the third quarter expired and buried 13 of their 29 three-point attempts.
Golden State set a franchise record with its 17th consecutive home victory.
| James Harden | A- |
| Dwight Howard | D+ |
| Trevor Ariza | D- |
| Josh Smith | F |
| Rest of Team | B |
| Stephen Curry | B+ |
| Klay Thompson | A |
| Draymond Green | A- |
| Andrew Bogut | A |
| Rest of Team | D+ |
Houston Rockets
James Harden: A-
Harden, who drew headlines for saying the Warriors "ain't even that good" before their Jan. 17 matchup, shredded Golden State for a game-high 33 points. The left-hander connected on 14 of 16 free throws and dished six assists despite not playing a minute in the final quarter.
With those positives being said, basketball is not a one-man sport. Harden was superb, but he received little offensive support from his teammates. Were it not for the shooting guard, the Rockets may have lost by 50.
Dwight Howard: D+
Though Dwight Howard got the better of David Lee, the Andrew Bogut-Draymond Green frontcourt combination absolutely shut Howard down. Bogut blocked Howard three times, and Golden State forced him into five turnovers.
Howard was constantly hounded by helping defenders and only managed three field goals. He grabbed 11 rebounds but scored just seven points, his second-lowest total of the season.
Trevor Ariza: D-
Considering Golden State dominated the paint, Houston needed its sharpshooters to step up. However, Trevor Ariza was barely a factor other than causing a near-brawl when he intentionally crashed into Curry while running up the court.
Ariza knocked down just two of his nine attempts, misfiring on four of six three-pointers. He ended with six points and was held below 10 for the third straight game.
Josh Smith: F
Josh Smith actually made a three-pointer, so that was a neat surprise for the Rockets. He was also bailed out by Howard's long reach for two assists on alley-oops.
Smith was ejected after (presumably) directing a few vulgarities at an official following a non-call in the lane, ending his forgettable night with five points and two rebounds.
Rest of Team: B
Corey Brewer and Jason Terry helped Houston crawl back into the game, adding 20 and 14 points, respectively. Of course, their contributions came too late, since Rockets coach Kevin McHale had all but conceded the outcome.
Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas combined to shoot 5-of-14 from the field, but both players were outworked on the defensive end. Alexey Shved chipped in nine points.
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry: B+
Sure, Curry scored 22 points and dished 10 assists, but his most significant plays were mere blips in the box score. The point guard crashed the boards hard, grabbing a pair of offensive rebounds that he immediately turned into second-chance points.
Granted, the sharpshooter committed six turnovers and received a technical foul, so it wasn't Curry's best all-around performance.
Klay Thompson: A
Thompson was the Warriors' fearless shooter of the night, hoisting a team-high 21 shots and draining 10 for his 27 points. He drifted into open areas on the floor since Houston was so preoccupied with Curry at the perimeter.
The shooting guard bolstered his All-Star-worthy campaign, playing turnover-free basketball on the offensive end and solid defense on the other, snatching four steals.
Draymond Green: A-
Green was fantastic alongside Bogut, but perhaps his biggest play of the night was holding Curry back from confronting Ariza. Curry had already been whistled for a technical, so another one would've resulted in an ejection.
Nevertheless, the Michigan State product had an impressive night, tallying 18 points and six rebounds in a strong overall effort.
Andrew Bogut: A
In what was arguably his best game of the season, Bogut's stellar night started from the opening tip. The 7-foot center blocked four shots during the first quarter and kept Howard from finding easy buckets.
Houston simply could not score at the rim while Bogut was roaming the paint. He finished with nine points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and one beauty of an assist to a slashing Thompson.
Rest of Team: D+
Harrison Barnes netted eight points to help the Warriors pull away during the first quarter. However, Justin Holiday's defense was no match for Harden, and the Rockets overcame a 12-point deficit to even the score under the watch of Golden State's bench.
But then the Warriors' starters took over, and the league's No. 1 shooting bench didn't make its next appearance until after the Dubs had taken a 30-point lead. And then, they nearly gave it away before the starters re-entered to stop the bleeding.
Golden State's starters posted a plus-119 rating while the reserves sputtered to a negative-54.
What's Next?
Houston (29-14) will battle the Phoenix Suns (26-18) Friday, Jan. 23, at the US Airways Center. Root Sports Southwest will televise the 9 p.m. ET tip.
The Rockets took the only season meeting to date, a 100-95 victory Dec. 6 in Houston. James Harden tallied 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists during the win.
Golden State (34-6) will host the Sacramento Kings (16-26) Friday, Jan. 23, at Oracle Arena. CSN Bay Area will broadcast the conference meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Warriors have won six consecutive matchups with Sacramento.
Follow Bleacher Report NBA writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR
