{"id":48106,"date":"2017-10-18T07:04:52","date_gmt":"2017-10-18T07:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=48106"},"modified":"2017-10-18T07:04:52","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T07:04:52","slug":"rockets-rally-to-spoil-defending-champion-warriors-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/rockets-rally-to-spoil-defending-champion-warriors-return.html","title":{"rendered":"Rockets rally to spoil defending champion Warriors return"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rockets rally to spoil defending champion Warriors return<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Rockets rally to spoil defending champion Warriors return:- Confetti began to fall and the Golden State Warriors thought they had pulled off a wild opening-night win.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Houston Rockets emphatically signaled otherwise \u2014 insisting that Kevin Durant’s baseline jumper had swished through the net after the buzzer.<\/span><\/p>\n

After one official got hurt, two remaining referees reviewed the play and ruled the Rockets had escaped with a 122-121 victory Tuesday on the night the Warriors received their championship rings.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I thought it had a chance but I knew it was a little late. I knew I was cutting it close,” Durant said. “Tough loss. First game of 82, we’ve definitely got to move on. We’ve got to get better.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Warriors got the ball for one final chance with 10.6 seconds left and Durant came up with the ball after Stephen Curry had missed.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I didn’t think it counted,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “When I saw it, it looked to me like it was a little late. Didn’t surprise me it was overturned.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Trevor Ariza’s 3-pointer with 2:09 remaining pulled Houston within 119-118 then Patrick McCaw hit a baseline jumper immediately after Golden State’s timeout. James Harden made a layup and PJ Tucker hit two free throws with 44.1 to make it 122-121.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nick Young came off the bench to hit six 3-pointers and score 23 points in a brilliant Warriors debut, Curry scored 22 points and Durant had 20 after a slow start. Klay Thompson added 16 points.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chris Paul had four points on 2-for-9 shooting in his Rockets debut, while Harden scored 27 points, Eric Gordon 24 and Tucker 20 for the Rockets. Houston opened the fourth with a 9-0 run to get back in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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“It’s very encouraging to be able to beat a great team like that on a huge night for them,” Anderson said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Warriors found their rhythm early but couldn’t close it out after an abbreviated preseason in terms of practice time given their recent trip to China for a pair of games against Minnesota.<\/span><\/p>\n

Draymond Green exited in the second half with a strained left knee after he contributed nine points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

“When we’re lacking conditioning like we are right now you have to have your high-energy guys,” Kerr said. “It doesn’t matter what it’s because of, we just have to get in better shape.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, this opener was a far cry for the forgettable 129-100 defeat at home to San Antonio in Durant’s Warriors debut a year ago when Golden State came off a record 73-win season and runner-up finish to Cleveland in the 2016 Finals.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I just remember the last game of the season we played,” Durant said of the Game 5 Finals clincher in June.<\/span><\/p>\n

Young found his stroke right away, hitting his first four 3s and five shots overall. It’s exactly what the Warriors want him to do: shoot every time he has a good look. His six 3-pointers set a franchise record for anyone in their Warriors debut and also in a season opener.<\/span><\/p>\n

Durant had one spectacular sequence in the third when he blocked Anderson’s shot on one end then converted a three-point play moments later on the other, slapping hands with a lucky boy fan on the baseline.<\/span><\/p>\n

Houston acquired Paul from the Clippers to give them a 1-2 backcourt punch to try to gain ground on Golden State in the Western Conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

“They came out and threw their best punch and it took us a while to adjust,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “The last quarter we held them to 20. We’re not going to do much better than that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

RING CEREMONY<\/span><\/p>\n

Kerr planned to pay extra attention as veterans Durant, Zaza Pachulia and David West each received a championship ring for the first time in their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Basketball accomplishments to me now are just what they are,” Durant said after morning shootaround. “I can kind of separate the two now. I feel like it’s more so just cool as hell more than anything. It’s like getting a prize possession that you’re just really excited about versus getting something that’s going to change your life. … I’ll be more so just really giddy and happy more so than emotional. I won’t be a mess.”<\/span><\/p>\n

BEAT-UP DUBS<\/span><\/p>\n

Key backup and 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala missed the game with a back strain, while Omri Casspi \u2014 who had been questionable with a mild right ankle sprain \u2014 appeared in his 500th career game making his debut with the Warriors. He then tweaked the ankle again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iguodala is expected to return for the upcoming road trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

INJURED OFFICIAL<\/span><\/p>\n

Referee Tre Maddox, accompanied by medical personnel, left midway through the fourth quarter after a collision with David West and hard hit. The NBA said after the game Maddox sustained an abdominal wall strain.<\/span><\/p>\n

TIP-INS<\/span><\/p>\n

Rockets: Tucker earned a flagrant 1 foul for his hard hit on Durant in the second. … D’Antoni joked “We’re going to go to the In-N-Out burger” during the pregame festivities, opting to keep his team in the locker room. “They deserve it,” he said. “They won it, we didn’t.” … The Rockets hit 22 3-pointers in three preseason games and didn’t allow more than 106 points, holding opponents to 93.8. … Houston also opened the season vs. the Warriors in 2009 and ’10. …<\/span><\/p>\n

Warriors: The Warriors are auctioning signed shooting shirts worn for the pregame festivities to benefit fire relief efforts in the North Bay. … Thompson has hit a 3 in 55 straight games, second-longest active streak.<\/span><\/p>\n

UP NEXT<\/span><\/p>\n

Rockets: At Kings on Wednesday night in Sacramento’s season opener.<\/span><\/p>\n

Warriors: At New Orleans on Friday to start a three-game road trip.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nba\/2017\/10\/18\/rockets-rally-to-spoil-defending-champion-warriors-return\/106758936\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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