OAKLAND – One head coach revolutionized the NBA over a decade ago with a high-octane offense that put more emphasis on pace, layups and 3-pointers. One team then took those concepts into overdrive, and soon sparked envy around the league.
So when the Golden State Warriors hosted the Houston Rockets on Tuesday at Oracle Arena, the outcome seemed inevitable. After winning two of the past three NBA titles partly because of an offensive system built on talent and team play, the Warriors would show off their depth. After Mike D’Antoni innovated an offense that soon was copied elsewhere, the Houston Rocket’s coach would oversee a team fulfilling those qualities to perfection.