No Time to Ramp Up for the Rockets

The Houston Rockets are just days away from their first playoff game in five years. They have a difficult matchup against the Golden State Warriors awaiting them. Houston didn't end the regular season with any kind of momentum to take into the postseason, losing each of their last three matchups. It's beneficial for Houston's top players to get rest before the playoffs start, but it could be a negative if the team starts the series with any rust after not playing its best to end the season.

The losses to end the season aren't a concern on their own; many starters did not play against the LA Clippers or Los Angeles Lakers. They did return against the Denver Nuggets in a game that was never close. However, it was the last game of the season, and the Rockets already had the second seed locked down for a while by that final game.

There is some concern for the lingering rust that could've developed after going into the playoffs without playing seriously at the end of the regular season.

While there's a chance the Rockets pick up where they left off from their winning stretch in the final month of the season, they won't have much time to ramp back into form if they do come out rusty in the first game of the series.

Losing Game 1 at home could be devastating for Houston, a team that worked hard to acquire home-court advantage this season. Allowing the Warriors to begin the series with a big scoring night would add to Golden State's confidence.

The Warriors' top players are already confident in their abilities. Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green have experienced deep playoff runs and trips to the Finals. Butler even made it to the Finals as a Play-In addition, and the Warriors believe they can help him achieve that feat again.

Houston needs to open with the aggression and physicality that helped the Rockets win their last matchup against the Warriors. They'll need the same defensive intensity that held Curry to just three points.

If Houston lets Butler and Curry run rampant to start the game, it may give Golden State confidence to play through the Rockets' physical defense and score effectively. That's the worst-case scenario for a Houston team based on its defensive prowess. The Rockets must start the game firing offensively, regardless of how Golden State performs on offense.

If the Rockets take too long to warm up offensively, it may be hard to catch up with the Warriors in the opening game. They'll need to come in hot to prevent potentially dropping their first game of the postseason.