The first team to 120 points win, right? That could have been the sentiment heading into the Warriors vs. Rockets matchup. Both teams came out firing on all cylinders, but the Warriors flamed out at the end. Despite Golden State being up as much as 17 points, the Rockets went on enough runs to keep the score close. And it wasn't just a loss for the Warriors; Draymond Green left the game with an injured knee on a night where every NBA fan was reminded of just how fragile a season can be.

Game MVP

Nick Young (23 points) didn't get a championship ring, but he was the Warriors star of the night.

With a crowd that loves to rain praise on flashy players who can hit three-pointers, Young has finally found the perfect NBA home. All he has to do with this Golden State team is what he does best, hit open jump shots. Whether he'll be a consistent player off the bench remains to be seen. But with the way Young can get hot from the outside, he is capable of winning games for this Warrior team, just not this one.

The starters

The Warriors starters played fine but were outmanned and out-hustled down the stretch. Before leaving in the third quarter with his injury, Draymond Green was having an all-around monster game (nine points/11 rebounds/13 assists). His absence may have made a difference, but when you have two former MVPs in their prime on your team, it certainly felt like the Warriors gave this one away.

Stephen Curry (22 points) and Kevin Durant (20 points) weren't their dominant selves and couldn't seem to bury the Rockets once they got them down. Klay Thompson hit four three-pointers in the game but kept getting switched off James Harden, who played like an MVP in the fourth quarter.

The bench

With Andre Iguodala out this game, the Warriors bench wasn't operating anywhere near full capacity.

And while Nick Young hit 8-9 shots from the field, the other contributions were minimal. Rookie Jordan Bell displayed some athleticism in his first game as a pro, scoring eight points on shots around the basket. Golden State is used to their bench extending leads, but every player who didn't start had a +/- that ranged from -10 to 0.

Final thoughts

How the Warriors start the year will be something to keep an eye, but means little as far as how they’ll be judged. Teams like the Rockets, Thunder, and Spurs will assess their own team based on how they perform against Golden State. But after two NBA championships and a 73-win season, all there is to say to the fans of other teams is, win or lose, enjoy the show.
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