The Golden State Warriors were massively disappointing in their NBA Cup loss to the Houston Rockets.
The Golden State Warriors weren’t able to hold on to their half-time lead against the Houston Rockets, losing a crucial NBA Cup fixture.
The Warriors were up by 14 at one point in the game, but they struggled to defend against the Rockets when it mattered most.
Jimmy Butler led the team in scoring with 21 points, as Stephen Curry had yet another quiet night. Butler struggled without Curry in leading the Warriors’ second unit.
But it wasn’t just the Warriors’ weaknesses that cost them the win, as the Houston Rockets did a great job without Kevin Durant available to them.
Golden State Warriors get dominated on the offensive glass
Against the Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors gave up an astonishing 25 rebounds on the offensive end.
The Warriors’ lack of size was on full display, as they allowed the Rockets to grab 6 more rebounds across both ends.
Draymond Green and the Warriors showed more effort on the offensive glass during the second half, but it wasn’t enough for them to get the win.
Reed Sheppard sets a new career-high as a scorer
Reed Sheppard is defying critics with the way he is playing for the Houston Rockets this season. After Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending injury, Sheppard was trusted to be their point guard.
After a difficult start, Sheppard had a resurgence in the role, delivering at a high level. Against the Warriors, Sheppard scored 31 points, topping his previous career-high against the Nuggets last week.
Sheppard has earned the trust of Kevin Durant and the entire Rockets squad, and that has made him an indispensable part of their team.
Is Father Time finally catching up to Stephen Curry?
Stephen Curry had yet another poor game tonight, as he scored just 14 points on 4-13 shooting. The greatest shooter of all time was just 2-9 from beyond the arc.
This marks his fifth game this season scoring under 20 points. Last season, Curry had 21 games in which he scored under 20 points. He would also end up leaving the game early with an injury.
For him to hit that mark nearly a quarter into the season is worrying, and could suggest that the legendary star is finally feeling the effects of his age.
Perhaps Curry can adopt a new approach to extend his career. For the time being, he and the Warriors will try to turn their form around after going 10-10 to start a season they hoped to compete for a championship in.
