The Golden State Warriors, who gained the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs in their narrow defeat of the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament, have leaned on their superstar, Stephen Curry, throughout the season to propel them through the gauntlet of clutch situations they've faced.
Curry, through it all, has build a solid case for First-Team All NBA honors, averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and six assists through 70 games this season.
As they head into a first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, the Warriors will need Curry, once again, to bypass their opponents' greatest defensive weapon: a development that could be the key to Golden State's playoff run.
Steph Curry will need to play the Rockets' double-big lineup off the court
The Houston Rockets, this season, have had one of the staunchest defenses in the NBA, posting a 110.3 defensive rating and holding opposing teams to just 109.8 points per game.
In their last matchup with the Warriors, which Houston won 106-96, the young and lengthy Amen Thompson was able to hold Curry to just three points in 33 minutes: a performance that directly resulted in Golden State's brutal loss.
Now, as the Warriors head into the first round, they will need to face off against a greater threat. The Rockets' double-big lineup, featuring emerging star Alperen Sengun and veteran center Steven Adams, has been a growing development for the team, and it is a weapon they could wield in a devastating manner against Golden State.
While Sengun and Adams have played only 150 minutes together this season, the Rockets have gained an absurd 32.7 net rating in those minutes, including 20.1 on the defensive end of the floor.
The Warriors, with their small-ball lineup featuring the undersized Draymond Green at center, have struggled against size all season, and, if Houston can successfully implement this lineup in this series, it could be a death blow for the inconsistent Golden State offense.
Yet, Curry's notorious off-ball movement, quick cutting, and catch-and-shoot abilities could prevent the Rockets from utilizing their double-big lineup in the most crucial moments of the series, giving the Warriors a major advantage over their opponents' defense.
In Golden State's last playoff run, in 2023, Curry averaged 37.9 minutes per game. Despite his advanced age, it is likely that there is very little time that Curry will be off the court in this series, limiting the Rockets' ability to employ such a lineup.
Therefore, if Curry can buck off his last performance against the Rockets and return to even a semblance of his normal shooting form in this series, the Warriors can effectively eliminate one of the Rockets' strongest defensive weapons.
