They thought Curry was contained. They thought the Rockets were ready. Then the tape dropped—and the truth hit harder than any headline.

The box score said 31 points. The highlight reels showed jaw-dropping threes. But what the film from Game 1 of Warriors vs. Rockets revealed was something deeper—and far more terrifying for Houston. Steph Curry didn’t just beat the Rockets. He dissected them.

Over the course of four quarters, Curry and the Warriors put on a masterclass in execution, patience, and playoff-level IQ. And with Jimmy Butler by his side, the veteran backcourt didn’t just silence a raucous Houston crowd—they exposed a system that may already be collapsing.

THE STATS DON’T LIE—BUT THE TAPE SCREAMS

Per Cleaning the Glass, the Warriors averaged 95.2 points per 100 halfcourt possessions. The Rockets? Just 65.5. That’s a 30-point gulf in execution.

In transition? Warriors +2.

Second chance points? Despite Houston grabbing 22 offensive rebounds to Golden State’s six, the actual conversion was just 22-12. The Warriors converted their few rebounds into more points.

Late shot clock situations? Golden State shredded Houston. They scored 1.28 points per possession in the final 4 seconds of the shot clock. The Rockets managed just 0.46.

And the jump shooting?

Golden State: 1.13 points per jumper
Houston: 0.64 points per jumper

The numbers alone suggest a skill and experience gap. But the film? The film shows a chess match Houston never showed up for.

TARGETING JALEN GREEN—THE WARRIORS’ PRIMARY ATTACK

Steve Kerr’s strategy was clear: hunt Jalen Green in every important possession. Curry, Draymond, and even Podziemski made it their mission to involve Green in pick-and-roll actions, switching him onto Steph or forcing him to recover through screens.

Time and time again, Green got lost—on switches, on rotations, on backdoor cuts. One sequence showed Curry faking a high screen, pushing off, and slipping past Green for an easy layup. Another showed Moody exploiting Green’s over-help to drain an open three.

It wasn’t just bad defense. It was mental collapse under the weight of playoff pressure.

CURRY’S CUTS, DRIVES, AND MAGIC

One of Curry’s strengths has always been off-ball movement. But against Houston, it became a weapon of surgical precision.

Multiple clips show Steph setting up defenders with clever footwork and changes of direction. A fake shove to trigger a misread. A timed curl around Draymond that created separation. A backdoor cut that looked like miscommunication—but was pure design.

Even when defenders did everything right, Curry turned into a magician. One shot, falling out of bounds near the bench, had TNT’s Kevin Harlan screaming, “Geometrically, that shouldn’t even be possible!”

It wasn’t hyperbole. It was reality. Curry was hitting shots with two hands in his face, fading sideways, 35 feet from the rim. And he did it repeatedly.

JIMMY BUTLER—THE UNSPOKEN STAR

While Curry got the highlights, Jimmy Butler played the scalpel. In his first playoff game with the Warriors, he went 10-of-19, scored 25 points, added 6 assists, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals.

But more than the stats, it was how he did it. He guarded Houston’s primary ball handlers, played the passing lanes, attacked mismatches, and consistently made the right reads.

There’s one clip where Butler stares down Alperen Sengun before calmly stepping into a sidestep jumper that ripped Houston’s momentum apart. And another where he strips Jalen Green, leads the break, and dunks with cold authority.

His chemistry with Curry? Instant. It was like watching two basketball minds speak in code the Rockets couldn’t decode.

HOUSTON’S NIGHTMARE—AND WHAT COMES NEXT

The Rockets did a few things well. Sengun was excellent in short rolls and midrange spacing. Jabari Smith Jr. showed potential as a secondary scoring option. And Steven Adams cleaned up the glass like a man possessed.

But their offense was erratic, their defense exposed, and their shot selection—chaotic.

Worst of all? They looked rattled.

Jalen Green, supposedly the future star, had multiple defensive lapses and forced shots that weren’t there. Fred VanVleet, the veteran anchor, missed open looks and failed to stabilize the offense.

Ime Udoka will need to make massive adjustments. More zone? Possibly. More double-big lineups? Likely. But unless Houston’s guards find composure, this series might be over by Game 4.

THE WARRIORS’ MESSAGE

The final film clip is the perfect metaphor. With the shot clock winding down, Curry fakes a handoff, side-steps into a deep three over a contested switch, and buries it.

It wasn’t just a shot. It was a message:

We’re still here.

Veterans. Champions. Warriors.