The Houston Rockets fell way short of completing what could have been the only 14th successful 3-1 series comeback in NBA history. But they have nothing to be ashamed of after they pushed the Golden State Warriors to the brink before eventually losing steam in a 103-89 Game 7 loss on Sunday at Target Center.
Warriors star Draymond Green tipped his hat to the young but feisty Rockets team led by savvy veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, who were Golden State’s biggest thorns in Games 5 and 6.
“I want to give a lot of credit to that team down there,” Green said of the Rockets. “Ime [Udoka] — the way he had those guys fighting, I gained a lot of respect for that team throughout this series. One of the tougher series I’ve played in personally, but that’s a young team to be reckoned with, and I told myself I was going to talk crazy because they have been talking crazy all series and on the internet, but I gained so much respect for those guys.
“[Alperen] Sengun is an incredible player. The way Fred Van Vleet and Steven Adams led those guys, they had no experience, and they led them, took us to the brink.”
Green, though, warned the Rockets not to get ahead of themselves.
“That team’s going to be a force to be reckoned with, and I hope they understand it,” Green said. “Things can change fast in this league. You’re only on the up until you’re not, but they’ve got something promising that they can continue to build on.
“Jabari Smith [was] incredible. He played like a vet this whole series, getting [to his] spots, knocking big shots down. [I have] a lot of respect for those guys.”
Cautionary Tale
Getty Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Tari Eason of the Houston Rockets fight during the second quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs.
Green knows too well how a small taste of success can get into young players’ heads. He’d seen this play out before.
The Rockets do not have to look far for a cautionary tale. They can ask their starting forward Dillon Brooks.
The rugged forward was a former member of the Rockets’ Southwest division rivals Memphis Grizzlies who were once in their shoes — the brash up-and-coming team in the league.
The Grizzlies were chirpy and talked smack as they pushed the Warriors to six games in the second round of the playoffs in 2022. But the Grizzlies have never won a playoff series since then.
The Rockets Have a ‘Bright Future’
Green liked the Rockets’ mentality in the series that brought out the best in him in the clincher.
“They never backed down from anything,” Green said of the Rockets. “That’s why they got a bright future if they can continue to work and put it together. Really bright future because that’s a tough, tough team, athletic, dogs, didn’t back down at all. So, I got a lot of love and respect for those guys.”
Green scored a series-high 16 points on 7-of-15 shooting on top of six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal in 40 minutes.
“They made me better in this series,” Green continued. “I had to get better in order for us to win this series, and that was because of what they did.”
The Rockets enter the offseason with a playoff experience under their belt. They have a young core, draft assets and financial flexibility to add more help to get them to the next level.
Draymond Green Warns Rockets After Pushing Warriors to the Brink