Thursday night's contest against the Golden State Warriors marked the Houston Rockets' most consequential home game since the James Harden era. Ime Udoka's squad wasn't ready to meet the challenge.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson each combined for 29 points as the Warriors cruised to a 133-110 victory, a win that effectively eliminated the Rockets in their surprise chase for a Western Conference playoff berth. Houston wandered through the wilderness of the post-Harden era with three straight dismal seasons prior to 2023-24. As meaningful basketball returned to Toyota Center on Monday, a serious case of déjà vu followed.