The Golden State Warriors pulled off a surprise Christmas Day win over the Houston Rockets, pushing their win streak to three in a row and stunning a team with clear momentum after winning four in a row prior to meeting on Wednesday.
Asked if the fourth-place Rockets (21-10) were overlooking the last-place Warriors (8-24), Green strongly suggested the opposite:
“Nah, cause every team wants to beat our ass,” said Green, according to Logan Murdock of NBS Sports Bay Area. “For five years or so we’ve been kicking people’s ass… I don’t think people are overlooking us.”
The Warriors inched their way to a lead late in the fourth after firing a warning shot in the first quarter, when they led the Rockets early on. Led by Green's defensive genius, Golden State engineered stop after stop, trapping James Harden and forcing Russell Westbrook into becoming the errant jump shooter he has been known to be during his career.
Put to the test, Westbrook responded as expected — with a Brickland 0-for-8 from deep — making only 11 of his 32 shot attempts. Harden was much more effective, shooting 9-of-18 from the floor, but was limited to only one free throw in the game, which he missed.
Green stepped up with 20 points and 11 rebounds to help Golden State to a 116-104 win over Houston, but the Warriors have spoiled much more than Christmas for the Rockets. They have eliminated their bitter rivals four out of the last five postseasons, leaving a sour taste in their mouths that goes well past the holidays.
Green is acutely aware the Rockets weren't overlooking the Warriors, but trying to hand them as many losses as possible before their star backcourt becomes healthy again.
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