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OAKLAND, Calif. – A big smile erupted on Clint Capela's face as he was asked a question about the significance of the Houston Rockets' win against the Golden State Warriors.
Capela had not intentionally been as daring as in similar circumstances last season, when he told ESPN that the Rockets were the best team. He was content to express his confidence without saying a word that could end up on a display board in the locker room of the two defending champions.
"We have a team that has a lot of potential," Capela said after the Rockets' 118-112 win on Saturday at Oracle Arena, despite the MVP James Harden's absence due to flu-like symptoms and symptoms. cervical tension in the neck. "We have a lot of guys who are able to do a lot of things defensively and offensively.
Rocket guard James Harden was fined $ 25,000, the NBA announced Saturday for publicly criticizing referee Scott Foster following Houston's loss to the Lakers on Thursday.
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"Obviously, it's just the regular season, I'm not going to tire like last year, I'm just going to focus on one game at a time and think about the playoffs, because we all know that in a different atmosphere. "
The Rockets have won all three games with the Warriors this season. They won without Chris Paul on their first visit to Oracle Arena and without Harden on this occasion. They will have a chance to finish the sweep of the regular season on March 13 in Houston.
This follows Houston who pushed Golden State to seven games in the Western Conference semifinal last season, a result that many within the Rockets organization call "tough for a championship champion", after the Rockets built a 3-2 lead before Paul fell with a tense hamstring.
The Rockets have every right to believe that they can beat the Warriors in a playoff series. Yet, they are well aware that it means nothing unless proving it in the playoffs.
"I really believe that we are their toughest opponent," said guard Eric Gordon, who led the Rockets with 25 points. "We have to keep playing by trying to be a championship team.They know who they are.It's another game for them, but it's a special night for us."
The night began with a 15-0 lead from the Rockets on a Golden State team that was perhaps nodded while Harden stayed at the hotel teams. Houston's lead reached 20 points and the Rockets resisted a Warrior rally before closing the match, guided by Paul's steady hand, who finished with 23 points and 17 assists.
But there was a moderate mood, not a party, in the visitors' locker room. The season was tough for the Rockets, who started the season with a championship or bust mentality, to dig a huge hole with a slow start.
Houston (34-25, fifth in the West) has too much work to do to be too enthusiastic about a win over the Warriors, even without Harden, whose historic series of 32 consecutive performances of more than 30 points has been suspended .
"Do not overdo it – it's a good win," said Rockets coach Mike D & # 39; Antoni. "We played well, they did not play so well, especially in the first half, they did not play very well, they might not have seen Harden and left," Oh. "Sometimes you have a disappointment, there are all kinds of reasons, but all we know is that we move on to the next."
The Rockets' success against the Warriors in the regular season means "nothing", according to Paul.
"You can come here and win a Monday night in February or a Tuesday night in November or December, but in the playoffs you have to beat a team four out of seven," said Paul. "It's good that we won tonight, but in two days you'll forget that, we'll all do it."
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