The Houston Rockets stunned the Golden State Warriors on opening night, as they won on the road against the defending champions in a squeaker, 122-121. They showcased their new identity, as their improved defense was in full display, especially when they rallied from 17 points down in the second half, to pull off the come-from-behind victory.
However for Steve Kerr, their opponents' defense was not the main reason why they lost on the night. He believes that the Warriors' poor conditioning is to blame for it, and then added, via Mark Medina of The Mercury News, that his players looked tired during the game.
“We looked tired,” Kerr said. “I don’t think we’re in good enough shape yet to play against a great 48-minute team.”
“Nobody was cutting to the rim. We were isolating. We weren’t playing our style of basketball.”
Stephen Curry echoed his coach's comments, by saying that they are still far from the conditioning they want to achieve.
“We’re not in playoff shape at all,” Curry said. “But I think we competed pretty hard.”
If there's any good news for the Warriors despite the opening night loss, there are still 81 games left on their schedule. Having experienced players also helps their cause, as they understand what's needed to win it all, and will definitely not slack off in defending the title they won last season.
With Steve Kerr and his staff making sure their entire roster puts in the work needed to be in tip-top shape, their fans can expect better performances from the Warriors moving forward. The loss could also turn out to be a wake up call for them to always play at a high level, especially with a number of teams improving over the summer.
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