In some ways, it’s better that the Golden State Warriors are meeting earlier in the playoffs this year. Rather than having to wait for the Conference Finals for the big showdown, we get it one series earlier. Why? Well because neither team had an exceptional regular season. Though the Warriors did finish with the top seed, it was a bumpy road; and the Rockets fumbled into the fourth seed after battling through early injuries.
Unfortunately, Golden State’s failure to close out the Los Angeles Clippers was a costly slip up. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both rolled their ankles Friday night - sending the already short-handed Warriors into their biggest battle of the season at less than full strength.