The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors get a chance for some hands-on scouting before their NBA Cup quarterfinals rematch when they face off in San Francisco on Thursday night.
Both teams were unbeaten in their NBA Cup groups before suffering losses on the final night of pool play Tuesday. The Rockets fell 120-111 at Sacramento, while the Warriors lost 119-115 at Denver, with both teams missing opportunities to secure the West’s top seed in the quarterfinals with a win.
The results, along with Oklahoma City’s 133-106 win over the Utah Jazz, secured the Thunder the top seed in the West, followed by the Rockets, Warriors, and Dallas Mavericks, who claimed the West’s wild-card berth.
The Rockets and Warriors are set to play in the quarterfinals on December 11, with Houston earning home court advantage due to a points-differential tiebreaker.
The two clubs have already met this season in Texas, where Golden State prevailed 127-121 in overtime, despite blowing a 31-point lead while playing without Stephen Curry.
The Warriors were without Draymond Green in Tuesday’s loss to the Nuggets as he rested a sore left calf. He is expected to return — but possibly not for both games — when the Warriors host the Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves in a back-to-back that concludes Friday.
Golden State also squandered a late lead at Denver, allowing the Nuggets to overcome a seven-point deficit in the final 2:30. Warriors coach Steve Kerr scolded his team after the game for their continued poor decision-making in clutch situations.
Buddy Hield had 27 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 23 in the earlier win over Houston, which was Golden State’s 14th straight victory over the Rockets dating back to February 2020. Several Warriors, including fourth-year veterans Kuminga and Moses Moody, have never lost to the Rockets.
While the Warriors will take the floor Thursday saddled with a five-game losing streak, the Rockets have won three of their past four games, including victories over Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma City before the loss at Sacramento.
Two days after being scorched by Nikola Jokic for 38 points and 10 rebounds, the Warriors will have to contend with another of the West’s top big men, Alperen Sengun, the reigning conference Player of the Week.
Sengun had 24 points and eight rebounds against the Kings after averaging 21.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in Houston’s three wins last week.
Sengun was ejected late in Tuesday’s contest after drawing two technical fouls. Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who was also ejected, was not happy afterward.
