The Houston Rockets managed to squeak out a win at home over the Golden State Warriors, and it appears forward Kevin Durant has a pretty good idea of what factored into their loss.

The Rockets secured a whopping 20 more rebounds than the Warriors in Game 3, and Durant feels that more than made up for the difference.

There is certainly plenty of truth to Durant's comments. While it can be considered dirty work, rebounding is one of the most crucial elements of the game. Houston's ability to dominate on the glass helped them create more opportunities for themselves on offense while simultaneously limiting Golden State's chances. It ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in their loss.

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There are a number of reasons the rebounding differential in this game was so intriguing. The Warriors can blame the fact that their “death lineup” is considered to be small-ball in today's NBA. Regardless, the Rockets have largely countered with a smaller lineup of their own. That stats indicate that Houston is simply exerting more effort on the glass.

A shortage of effort would usually be a cause for concern for most teams. However, this seems to be a common trait for star-studded rosters like the one Golden State has. The Warriors should know full well that the Rockets are one of the few teams capable of matching their firepower. They will need to be much more assertive in Game 4 if they hope to avoid a series split.