NBA playoffs: Kevin Durant proves too much for the Rockets, who lose Game 1 and home court

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HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets spent the previous year utilizing each waking minute attempting to beat the Golden State Warriors.

Houston pursued perseveringly after the No. 1 general seed in the West, endeavouring to guarantee a playoff arrangement between these two groups would start here. Houston spent the previous summer including another border maker in Chris Paul to take the scoring load off James Harden, included protective pros in Paul, P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute to contain Golden State's scorers and executed an exchanging protective plan on the opening day of preparing camp to check Golden State's passing and hostile activities.

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It was this correct circumstance — an antagonistic street condition against an awesome, athletic group — that Golden State sought after Durant two summers prior to explain. Before he arrived, the Warriors were helpless to circumstances in which they couldn't run their trademark pass-and-move hostile sets, or when Stephen Curry endured damage, as he did in the 2016 playoffs.

With Curry as yet looking under 100 percent, and with Houston exhibiting the best test Golden State has looked since Durant touched base in July of 2016, the Warriors required all of Durant's enormity.

What's more, he conveyed.

"This is the reason anyone would need him on their group," Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said. "You consider a few years prior, and we're in the Finals and we couldn't exactly get past the halfway point. Kevin is the person that puts you past the halfway point.

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Without precedent for the Steve Kerr time, the Golden State Warriors on Monday opened a playoff arrangement out and about. They took care of the uncommon difficulty fine and dandy, with Kevin Durant's 37 focuses driving the route in a 119-106 triumph over the best seeded Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Brilliant State's discrediting an absence of regard has progressed toward becoming something of an inside joke throughout the last four seasons, with the cooperative individuals' always persuading themselves that the world has questioned them in spite of two titles in three years. In any case, the Warriors came into this Game 1 as a true blue underdog, which Kerr kidded about in his pregame news meeting.

"I'm taking the Warriors at +1½," he deadpanned.

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There was just a single issue with the lion's share of that: Golden State has a player who can't generally be observed.

Besides, it was that player, Kevin Durant, who ensured the Warriors began these Western Conference finals with a triumph.

In an extremely surprising execution, Durant finished with 37 centres to lift Golden State to a 119-106 triumph over Houston in Game 1 Monday night, taking everything the Rockets hurled at him and discarding it. The result? Houston now faces its season boiling down to Game 2 Wednesday night. Win, and Houston heads to the Bay Area with a shot.

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Durant wasn't content with mentor Steve Kerr when he took him out in late in the second from last quarter and uproariously asked his mentor for what valid reason he was putting him on the seat. Durant, who played only over 40 minutes, was inquired as to whether he'd like to play the whole 48 minutes.

"Most likely so," Durant said.

Kerr recognized that he ought to have abandoned him in by then and raved about his execution after his fourth 30-point amusement this postseason.

All of them took turns on Durant. So, too, did Clint Capela, Houston’s starting centre and one of the few 7-footers in the NBA capable of switching onto someone as skilled as Durant and remaining comfortable. None of it mattered. Durant had his way with all of them, proving he remains among the most unguardable players in the NBA, given his unfair combination of being 7-feet tall while playing like a shooting guard.

In fact, the only person who managed to stop Durant all night — and nearly derailed Golden State in doing so — was Coach Steve Kerr.

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Articles source: The Washington Post

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