The Golden State Warriors came away with a shock victory on Christmas Day, as they defeated the Houston Rockets, 116-104. This was thanks in large part to the defensive strategy Dubs head coach Steve Kerr set out for the contest, with the Warriors opting to trap Rockets superstar James Harden as far away from the basket as they possibly could, forcing the former MVP to give up the ball to his teammates. Following his team's surprise defeat, Rockets guard Russell Westbrook shared his thoughts on the Warriors' defensive scheme against Harden. According to Westbrook, this is a technique they have grown accustomed to, but that Lady Luck was just smiling on the Warriors on the evening.

“It’s nothing we ain’t used to,” Westbrook said, via Jonathan Feigen of Texas Sports Nation. “We missed our shots, so it worked. Move on to the next one. Good luck though trying to do that.”

The Warriors held Harden to 24 points on just 18 shots from the field (he is currently averaging 24.5 attempts per ballgame), and just one attempt from the charity stripe (which he missed), along with six 3-pointers, six rebounds, 11 assists, and three steals in 38 minutes of action. This is by no means a terrible effort from Harden, but it is clear that the Warriors set out to get the ball out of his hands as often as possible.

Article Continues Below
Related News
Cam Johnson (with his jersey number), photoshopped in Rockets jersey.
Rockets trade proposal for Cam Johnson as Nets pursue lottery pickBailey Bassett ·
Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) and Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (9) on the court during the game at Toyota Center.
Ausar, Amen Thompson considering Jamaica in Olympics, FIBA moveRichard Pereira ·
Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the second half in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.
Ranking 5 best Kon Knueppel destinations in 2025 NBA DraftJulian Ojeda ·
boston celtics, boston celtics trade, celtics trade proposal
3 early Boston Celtics trade targets in 2025 NBA offseasonGarrett Kerman ·
The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
Ranking 3 best Fred VanVleet free-agency destinations if he leaves RocketsBailey Bassett ·
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) reacts after a play during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Toyota Center.
Rockets’ Reed Sheppard helps London, Kentucky residents impacted by tornadoJaren Kawada ·

Attempts-wise, Westbrook was the primary beneficiary of Golden State's lock-down defense on Harden, with the new Rockets recruit taking a game-high 32 shots for 30 points. The former MVP went 0-of-8 from the line, though, also committing four turnovers to go along with his 12 rebounds and five assists.

This was definitely a forgettable evening for Houston, but they will get a chance to redeem themselves on Saturday in a matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.