PREVIEW: 2015 Western Conference Finals, Game 4: Golden State Warriors (3-0) At Houston Rockets (0-3) – Pushing Each Other To Be Great

Houston Rockets (0-0) at Golden State Warriors (0-0)

Tip-off: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 – 6:00PM PDT

Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

TV: ESPN | Radio: KNBR 680 AM

Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive

Projected Starting Lineups:

Rockets

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Jason Terry (15.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 3.3 APG)

SG: James Harden (18.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.6 APG)

SF: Trevor Ariza (10.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.0 APG)

PF: Josh Smith (15.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.9 APG)

C: Dwight Howard (19.6 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 1.4 APG)

Head Coach: Kevin McHale (12-15, .444)

Warriors

Career Playoff Averages

PG: Stephen Curry (25.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 7.6 APG)

SG: Klay Thompson (17.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.6 APG)

SF: Harrison Barnes (12.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 APG)

PF: Draymond Green (10.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.4 APG)

C: Andrew Bogut (6.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.2 APG)

Head Coach: Steve Kerr (11-2, .846)

Series Game Recaps/Schedule

GAME ONE: The Warriors overcame a 16-point deficit in the first half and a 28-9-11 explosion by Harden, as Curry led the way with 34 points.

GAME TWO: Harden didn’t get a shot off trailing by 1 at the buzzer as Curry and Thompson converged on a broken play, the Warriors winning 99-98 in dramatic fashion. The bench unit was tremendous and Andre Iguodala had a spectacular dunk as Golden State built its early lead.

GAME THREE: Curry scored 40 points and Green tallied another double-double as the Warriors came out strong, got a lead and increased it, ending with a 35-point blowout. Curry’s performance was legendary.

GAME FIVE: if necessary, is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/27/2015, in Oakland, CA.

GAME SIX, if necessary, is scheduled for Monday, 5/29/2015, in Houston, TX.

GAME SEVEN, if necessary, is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/31/2015, in Oakland, CA.

Game Notes

Pre-Game

Curry starts his warmup without being distracted by the ominous presence behind him. pic.twitter.com/YchK0OrTX0

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) May 25, 2015

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IM GOING DOWN DOWN BABY pic.twitter.com/Hs0bSq8Tol

— Julie Phayer (@juliephayer) May 25, 2015

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Is tonight the night ? Splash brothers hoping to advance to NBA finals with s win over #Rockets. #dubson7 #Warriors. pic.twitter.com/xxxxF7TujV

— Mike Shumann (@MikeShumann) May 25, 2015

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Bruh!pic.twitter.com/XU64nbEuru

— Devin Carter (@Just_Devin) May 25, 2015

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Lil B’s Curse

• “I’ve seen a lot of people stealing from what I do…Harden’s just getting the rough end”–Lil B

• James Harden: The Based God’s Curse is official

Team Mentality

• “But the players also are fortunate to have coaches so dedicated to refining their approach” — Adam Lauridsen, San Jose Mercury News

• “We see what this team did last series. They’re never out of it, so we have to…push each other to be great.” — Shaun Livingston

• “try to close them out tonight and play with that desperation, that same mentality” — Draymond

• “After all, this is a team that expressed a desire to improve after a 35-point win” — Eric Freeman, Ball Don’t Lie

• “Will Draymond return his focus to the present, after…speculating on the impact extended time off…NBA Finals…6/4”” — J.A. Adande, ESPN

• “…you know #DubNation travels strong.” …Draymond shares theory behind Warriors’ road success — Monte Poole, CSN Bay Area

• “You’re much more on edge when you’re down 2-1 than when you’re up 3-0 so u better find that edge” — Rusty Simmons, San Francisco Chronicle

• “The group dynamic…Then Curry’s feathers and cotton balls fanned the flame to roar out of control.” — Kevin Ding, Bleacher Report

• “We understand the moment. It is special. But we have a lot of work to do.” — Curry

• “Oh, there are still crises to manufacture. (Klay) still can’t make a shot and Barnes actually didn’t make a shot” — Ray Ratto, CSN Bay Area

Strategy

• “I’m going to try to screen but I’m also just trying to get out of (Curry’s) way” — Draymond

• “One thought Kerr kept pounding into Barnes’ ear: You can be the next Kawhi Leonard.” — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle

• “As David Lee said this season, if your best player isn’t a jerk, no one else is allowed to be.” — Ann Killion, Bay Area News Group

• VIDEO: Green defense — Tom Haberstroh, ESPN.com

Interesting Stats

• “On this date 40 years ago, the Warriors captured the 1975 NBA Championship.”

“Curry: 35.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6 APG, 1.6 SPG on 38/62 FG (61% fg shooting, 58% from deep) vs. HOU in the first 3 games” — @GSWdelivery

• “Steph Curry has made six more 3-pointers than Dwight Howard has made FTs this postseason.” — ESPN Stats

• “Draymond on pace to best Kobe, Ben Wallace, LeBron all-time playoffs +/-…” — Tim Kawakami, Bay Area News Group

• “G3 win was #Warriors 6th in a row tying club record for single-season playoff win streak (’47& ’75); won NBA title in both)” — Tim Roye, Warriors radio announcer

• “Steph Curry is now shooting a ridiculous 91% from the left corner three in the playoffs.”

• “It took 145 years of baseball before an MLB team lost the first three games in a series, then won the last four”

Reaction From Game 3

• “It better have been No. 10. Was it No. 10?” — Curry”

• “not one errant pass in an entire half. Maybe you’d expect that from a disciplined team such as San Antonio…”

• “Curry totaled 34 of his co-playoff high 40 points in just 2 quarters.” — Brian Smith, Houston Chronicle

• “even unused ‘Pursuit’ T-shirts couldnt hide the # of empty seats in Toyota Ctr lower bowl as fans checked out early”

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(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via NBAE/Getty)