Draymond Green: Focus on Refs After Warriors-Rockets Game 1 'Embarrassing'

Game 1 of the second-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets was all about the officiating. Game 2 was all about the basketball.

Warriors forward Draymond Green told reporters the constant focusing on the referees during and after Game 1 was "embarrassing for the game" after his team's 115-109 victory in Tuesday's contest. He also made a point of saying both teams limited their complaining during the second meeting.

Green wasn't the only one to point to the improvement from the first game, as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr praised the officials:

Game 1 was a four-point showdown that came down to the final seconds, but the vast majority of the discussion focused on officiating, missed calls and the landing zone for shooters. Chris Paul was ejected after he committed a costly turnover in the final seconds, James Harden told reporters he just wanted a "fair chance" with the refs and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey delivered some snark on Twitter:

That Harden was talking about fair chances with the referees even though he led the league in free throw attempts by a massive 172 was notable, as was a report from Sam Amick of The Athletic.

According to Amick, "the Rockets have been making a data-driven case with the NBA for quite some time that these Superteam Warriors are getting a major officiating advantage in these heavy-hitter matchups."

Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets - Game Highlights

The advantage came down to the talent in Tuesday's contest, as all five Golden State starters scored in double figures.

Kevin Durant (29 points, five rebounds and four assists), Klay Thompson (21 points, five rebounds and three steals), Stephen Curry (20 points and five assists) and Draymond Green (15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists) were far too much for the overmatched Rockets and are now two wins away from completing a sweep after needing the full seven games in last year's Western Conference Finals.

While the referees will surely remain a focal point for the rest of the series, the Warriors sent a message that resonated beyond the whistles in Game 2.