Houston Rockets are the ‘only team’ who can defeat Warriors in a series – NBA pundit

That is the opinion of NBA pundit Nick Wright.

The Rockets defeated the Californian outfit last Saturday to make it three from three against Steve Kerr’s side this season.

The Warriors nevertheless occupy top spot in the Western Conference with a record of 42-17, while Mike D’Antoni’s men sit in fifth.

Both franchises are safe bets for the playoffs and will likely come across each other if they are to make The Finals.

Last season it was the Warriors who won a seven-game series in the Conference Finals before retaining the championship, with Kevin Durant and Steph Curry inspiring them to victory.

After starting the season slowly, the Rockets have regained their mojo with talisman James Harden leading the Most Valuable Player (MVP) hunt.

And NBA expert Wright believes the side is unique in the sense that it has the mettle and ability to overcome the dynastic Warriors.

“[Houston Rockets] can win the championship,” Wright said on First Things First. “They’re the only team, I believe, that believes they can beat the Warriors.

“A big part of competing with a team in a series is the legitimate belief that: ‘We’re prepared for this, we were built for this, and it will not take a bunch of good luck and good fortune. We don’t need every ball to bounce our way to beat you.’

“I’m not saying they’d be favourites – they’d be heavy underdogs. But almost every NBA team in history would be heavy underdogs against this version of the Warriors.

“Eight [wins] and five [losses] in your last 13 against Golden State is a real thing. Winning all three match-ups against Golden State in this regular season is a real thing.

“Beating them in overtime without Chris Paul and following that up with beating them in a game you basically led from start to finish, without James Harden, in Golden State – that’s a real thing.

“[General manager] Daryl Morey told us they are obsessed with Golden State, they now have a full flushed-out roster which they didn’t have at the beginning of the season.

“They’re the only team that, if they beat Golden State in a series this year, I wouldn’t be gobsmacked by. They’re the only team that, if they play Golden State, I’d go: ‘You know what, they could beat them.’”

source: express.co.uk