In the first round playoff matchup between the Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets, NBA experts are deeply divided on who will make it to the Western Conference semifinals.
The NBA legendary Magic Johnson was heavily weighed on the bold prediction that it would depend on one important factor for the Golden State.
According to Magic, the Warriors desperately need a third reliable scoring option other than Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Especially if they want to survive what could become a tough 7-game series against young athletic rockets.
“The Golden State with Future Hall of Famer and the best shooters of NBA Steph Curry will also need to dominate playoff Jimmy Butler, but who else will step up to the Warriors in this match?” The magic was questioned to his X account.
Lakers legend didn’t stop there. Identifies the specific players that must be promoted to the game. “Brandin Poziemski scored 28 points against the Lakers. If Jonathan Kuminga answers as the X-factor, I’m thinking of a warrior with 7.”
Magic’s concerns are supported by nasty evidence from Golden State’s recent performance.
Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Poziemsky are statistically ranked third and fourth leading scorers for the Warriors in the regular season, but their production was very inconsistent when they were most needed.
In a high-pressure play-in victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, Poziemsky managed just three points, while Kuminga didn’t even look at the floor.
Similarly, in the season’s finale, the overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, only Curry and Butler proved that they could offer over 20 points performances.
The magic highlighted the physical benefits of Houston, which could potentially spell out Golden State disasters without proper adjustments from head coach Steve Kerr.
“The Rockets are more athletic than Golden State, led by Jalen Green, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, and Fred Van Vleit is an NBA champion with plenty of playoff experiences,” the Magic emphasized.
This athletic edge can prove to be crucial, especially on defensive defensive occasions where Houston’s length and speed can disrupt the Warriors’ offensive flow.
If the Rockets successfully include both physical defenders and Curry and Butler throughout the series, the Golden State Championship hopes to make the third star appear completely dependent on whether or not the supporting cast will appear.