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When Steve Kerr pulled the plug on Game 5 between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets in the middle of the third quarter, NBA fans who have come to know better over the last decade all assumed the same thing: the Warriors were headed home to close things out in Game 6.
Kerr's squad battled back and forth with Ime Udoka and company in a very close battle for the first three quarters, but the Rockets dominated the fourth quarter of Game 6 in shocking fashion. Houston crushed Golden State on both ends of the floor over the final 12 minutes, buoyed by stellar performances from veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams.
In the end, the Rockets stole Game 6 and forced a decisive Game 7 with a very impressive 115-107 win in San Francisco.
The Warriors trailed by just two heading into the fourth, and the Chase Center crowd was ready for another classic clutch Warriors victory. However, Adams and Alperen Sengun bludgeoned the Warriors on the offensive boards on one end, and the Rockets' funky defense completely stifled Stephen Curry and the Warriors on the other.
In the end, Kerr's squad mustered just five points in the first seven minutes of the final frame and made just two of their first 18 shots in the quarter.
Now the Warriors have to lick their wounds and find a solution before Game 7 on Sunday in Houston to avoid another infamous 3-1 collapse.
Over the course of this series, the dynamic between the two teams has shifted. After the Warriors seemed to have everything under control after winning Games 3 and 4 in The Bay, the Rockets leaned into their size and physicality and have crushed the Warriors in the paint.
Their great athletes are hounding Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler on the defensive end and making it very tough for Golden State to score.
All signs point to the Rockets being the favorites heading into Game 7. They are the younger, deeper team, and have more energy on both ends of the floor at the moment. The Warriors have the championship experience, but they may not have the legs and the bodies to pull it off and move on to the next round.
