Right after the Warriors claimed their second championship in three years, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was asked how the apparent dynasty could be overcome. His reply was far from that of a broken man. The red and white would be back, he said, and better. Never mind that he witnessed his charges’ disappointing second-round exit off a clunker from James Harden, his best player, in series-clinching Game Six. And, true enough, he walked the talk, making crucial offseason moves that strengthened competitiveness.
Fast forward to the start of Game Seven, and Morey’s confidence remained. It didn’t matter that the Rockets lost the previous match in spectacular fashion; they bombed in the last three quarters, exposing their worst weaknesses in the absence of injured starter Chris Paul. After all, they were at the Toyota Center, the homecourt advantage precisely the reason for their efforts to put together the best regular-season record. And again, true enough, they jumped to a first-quarter, double-digit lead in showing the best that they could be.
Unfortunately for Morey, the Rockets could not sustain their brilliance. In the midst of the Warriors’ trademark third-quarter push, they launched brick after brick. To their credit, they stayed true to the very principles that hitherto brought them success; threes and stabs at the rim were all they gunned for. To their discredit, they became predictable, leading to a poor outcome after the half. At one point, they endured 27 straight misses from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, their defense slowly crumbled under pressure, in large measure the result of fatigue borne of a necessarily tight rotation.
Indeed, the Rockets’ eventual failure stemmed from poor execution on both ends of the court. And though they managed to regain their bearings late in the fourth, their last-ditch stand proved too little, too late. That said, they have cause to hold their heads high; there is no shame in losing to the Warriors, whose star power and pace-and-pace system under the tutelage of head coach Steve Kerr make them one of the National Basketball Association’s all-time greats.
For Morey, there will be next season for which to prepare. And again, true enough, he is already over his disappointment and engaged in opportunity. Deep down, he knows that for the Rockets to be the best, they have to beat the best. Sure, they suffered from bad luck; had Paul not been injured late in Game Five, the series may well have been gone their way. Then again, it’s part and parcel of life in the sport’s highest echelon. Winning is very, very hard, and he knows all he and those around him can — and need to — do is try.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
