北京时间4月21日，火箭队在季后赛首轮第1场比赛中表现低迷。第3节中段，火箭队已最多落后对手20分多分。事实上，球队半场结束时就已落后13分，而第三节伊始，勇士队巨星库里和巴特勒在进攻端依旧对火箭队形成压制，火箭队完全无法限制这两位球员。即便两人多次尝试高难度投篮，仍能稳稳命中。

The Rockets have no shortage of defensive strikers such as forwards Tari Ethan, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson. In this game, they also took on the task of focusing on Curry and Butler. But the superstars in the playoffs are the same as the regular season. Just like in the play-offs, Butler scored 37 points and Curry scored 0 points to eliminate the Grizzlies, in the first game against the Rockets, the two stars used their rich game experience and consistency in key moments to comprehensively suppress the young players of the Rockets.

On the other hand, the Rockets, VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson, all did not score in double figures by the end of the second quarter. Jalen Green scored only 2 points in the half, and although the performance rebounded slightly in the third quarter, the Rockets' "wolf pack tactics" were difficult to work compared to the Warriors' duo.

In the regular season, the Rockets are the second-best team in the West, but the regular season is very different from the playoffs: the opponents may not be at full strength in the regular season, and the playoffs are filled with fierce confrontations for every ball. The Warriors are a completely different team in the playoffs, with Curry and Butler in charge of the game.

Except for All-Star center Shin Kyung, who played normally, the rest of the Rockets' players performed below the regular season level. The intensity of confrontation in the playoffs is much higher than in the regular season, and the defensive pressure on the Rockets' players is not comparable to that of the regular season. I wonder if the Rockets will be able to adapt to playoff-level confrontation and defense after this game? Even if they can adapt in the next games, it may be too late — after all, the Rockets have lost home-court advantage and have players who are nowhere near as experienced in the playoffs as the Warriors. At the end of the third quarter, the Rockets had fallen behind by nearly 20 points, and there was little hope of a comeback. With a best-of-seven format, the Rockets have fallen into passivity.

For the Rockets' management, the team's shortcomings are clear: there are many players suitable for the second and third leaders in the team, and there are many excellent defensive players and role players, but there is a lack of top superstars such as Curry and Butler. Therefore, chasing Durant in the offseason may be a wise choice.

Durant is currently on the shelf by the Suns, who have multiple future first-round picks from the Suns, a large number of young players and expiring contracts, and even instant players like Dillon Brooks as trade chips. Although the Rockets finished second in the West during the regular season, bringing in superstars is a top priority for next season if they want to go far in the playoffs. Without a superstar, the Rockets can play well in the regular season, but in the playoffs, without this kind of top superstar to lead the team, the Rockets will have a hard time.