Warriors game day: Will Golden State limit James Harden?
Will Golden State limit James Harden?
Steve Kerr, 3rd season with Warriors (156-26 with Warriors and overall); Mike D’Antoni, 1st season with Rockets (11-7 with Rockets and 466-433 overall)
Warriors: PG Stephen Curry (26.6 ppg, 5.9 apg), SG Klay Thompson (20.7 ppg, 2.1 apg), SF Kevin Durant (27.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg), PF Draymond Green (10.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 6.9 apg), C Zaza Pachulia (4.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Rockets: PG Patrick Beverley (7.0 ppg, 3.9 apg), SG James Harden (28.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 11.9 apg), SF Trevor Ariza (12.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg), PF Ryan Anderson (12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), C Clint Capela (12.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg)
Warriors injury report: C Damian Jones (D-League assignment) is out.
Rockets injury report: PF Chinanu Onuaku (D-League assignment) is out.
The Rockets rank among the NBA’s top four in scoring, assists, team field goal and three-point percentage, and lead the league in three-pointers made and attempted per game.
Golden State has scored at least 110 points nine times in its 12-game winning streak, and it has shot at least 50 percent from the field eight times.
In trying to quell the four-time NBA All-Star, Golden State will probably send a wave of double teams his way.
Increased defensive attention, of course, seldom quiets a scorer of Harden’s caliber.
Since joining the Rockets, Harden has averaged 27.7 points and shot 40 percent from three-point range against the Warriors.
How will Golden State’s perimeter defense look?
The Warriors’ significant strides protecting the paint have overshadowed a noteworthy development:
Golden State has held teams to a combined 22-for-86 shooting (25.6 percent) from beyond the arc over its past three games.
The Rockets, who are shooting 37.8 percent from deep this season, pose one of the Warriors’ biggest perimeter challenges yet.