LDN - Sports

Preview: Rockets at Warriors

[October 17, 2017] Gracenote

The Golden State Warriors begin pursuit of their third NBA title in four seasons when they host the Houston Rockets in Tuesday's season-opening clash. The Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to win last season's NBA Finals and will be in the hunt again this season behind the star quartet of forwards Kevin Durant and Draymond Green and guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Curry and Durant co-existed beautifully in the latter's first season with the Warriors but now the focus is on Curry, who coach Steve Kerr predicts will be better than his two recent NBA MVP campaigns of 2014-15 and 2015-16. "I think Steph is at his absolute peak right now," Kerr told reporters. "Physically, emotionally, this is probably as good as he's ever going to be, this year. I think he's better now than he was last year and the year before. And that's saying something." The Rockets added veteran point guard Chris Paul to the James Harden-led group and coach Mike D'Antoni feels his squad is closer to competing with the Warriors in terms of a possible matchup in the Western Conference finals. "We closed the gap only because I feel that we're better this year than last year," D'Antoni told reporters. "Now, we'll see if they're better. They might be better, so maybe it's an illusion. That's the reason we can say that. We just feel like we're a better team this year."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (55-27): Harden was a do-it-all machine last season when he was the runner-up for MVP to Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, but Paul is now around to be the primary ball-handler. "I can adjust to anybody," Harden told reporters. "Anybody that is a leader can figure it out and work together. That's just how life works. Anybody that works hard and has a great work ethic and loves and is passionate about something will be able to mesh and work together no matter what. We bring those qualities out of each other, me and CP. It's bound to work." Houston will again hoist a ton of 3-pointers as Harden (262), guard Eric Gordon (246) and forward Ryan Anderson (204) each topped 200 last season while forward Trevor Ariza (191) fell just short.

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ABOUT THE WARRIORS (67-15): Durant enters this season in a comfortable position after the decision to leave Oklahoma City 15 months ago created plenty of drama, in addition to the upheaval of moving from a town he spent eight seasons living in to adjusting to a new city before capping off the season by being named Finals MVP. "He looked so relaxed and confident," Kerr said of Durant's preseason play. "Last year, he was trying to decipher what we were doing. This year, he just did it. There's a comfort level that exists now that allows him to go out there and play without thinking." Thompson remains one of the best two-way shooting guards in the NBA while Green is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Warriors went 3-1 against the Rockets last season.

2. Paul (bruised knee) missed Houston's final preseason game but was cleared for the opener.

3. Kerr stated after Monday's practice that F Andre Iguodala (back) and F Omri Casspi (ankle) are questionable for the opener with PG Shaun Livingston listed as probable.

PREDICTION: Warriors 128, Rockets 118

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