“Rockets’ Secret Weapon: The Daring Defense That Stunned the Warriors in Game 2”
Butler has called himself the Robin to Stephen Curry’s Batman, but, with apologies to Dick Grayson, he’s more important than that. Golden State’s acquisition of him in early February has since transformed the offense, giving it the extra juice it needed. Curry makes it rain, but Butler has brought thunder to the storm, getting to the foul line, making decisive plays when the defense is scrambling, and taking advantage of any mismatch.
Without Butler in Game 2, the Rockets forced even more of their attention on Curry, and the seventh-seeded Warriors didn’t have a counterpunch. Curry’s numbers ended up a bit subpar by his extraordinary standards (20 points on 6-of-15 shooting with nine assists), but the striking thing was how hard everything was for him. The Rockets sent wave after wave of tough defenders at him. Curry, usually a player who thrives in the chaos of his making, found himself flustered more often than usual and committed more turnovers (six) as well.
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