Barber: Warriors have no margin of error vs. Rockets

OAKLAND - The Warriors did some good things Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. They did some bad things, too. For this team, that would normally be a recipe for a playoff victory. But Game 4 of the Western Conference championship series, a 95-92 loss, served as a vivid reminder: The Houston Rockets are not a typical opponent.

They are, in fact, the best team Golden State has faced in the postseason during the Steve Kerr era. That's not to say the Warriors are suddenly underdogs in the series, or that the Rockets have found some magic key to upending the defending champions. It's just that the Warriors' margin of error this time is disturbingly small.

Consider the absence of Andre Iguodala. The veteran swingman is important to the Warriors' efforts, whether he's starting or coming off the bench. Coach Steve Kerr calls Iguodala one of the smartest players in the game, and has referred to him as his “babysitter” on the court. When the action starts to get too frenetic, when the Warriors begin to rush shots or overthink, it's frequently Iguodala who settles them down.

So yes, he's a vital cog in this machine. And when Kerr announced that Iguodala would not play in Game 4 because of a bruised knee, it was newsworthy.

Against the Pelicans or Spurs, though - and probably even against the Celtics or Cavaliers, who are fighting for supremacy in the Eastern Conference - losing Iguodala would have made the task difficult, but doable. Against these Rockets, who are brilliant in isolation offense and frequently the Warriors' equals when it comes to defensive switching, not having Iguodala was a killer.

Asked if there were times when he could have used Iguodala's calming influence Tuesday, Kerr said, “Oh, of course, of course. But he didn't play, so it didn't matter.”

Kerr continued, describing a portion of the game in which he seemed to be particularly missing his babysitter.

“I just felt like early in the game we had a chance to really make some hay, and I think it was 12-0,” Kerr said. “We started turning it over and fouling, and it was disappointing because I felt like we could have really stretched the lead. But we sent them to the line over and over again in that first half, the second quarter especially. A lot of turnovers - 10 turnovers in the first half. I thought that allowed them to hang around. Then they got their confidence, made a lot of free throws, got the lead at halftime, and then it was a slog from there.”

It wasn't just Iguodala. Game 4 offered other roadblocks that the Warriors would usually sail over or blast through, but couldn't against the Rockets.

Like Klay Thompson's knee bump. Just 37 seconds into the second quarter, Thompson's driving layup was blocked by Houston's Clint Capela, and the Warriors guard wound up on the floor, rubbing his left knee. He subbed out a minute later and soon was headed to the locker room with head trainer Chelsea Lane.

Thompson re-entered the game and wound up playing a robust 39 minutes. But he never looked comfortable. He shot an airball on an open 21-footer immediately upon returning to the court, and put up several awkward shots in the second half - including the final shot of the night for the Warriors, another airball after he was briefly trapped in the corner.

Again, Klay Thompson at 75 percent (or whatever it was) would be enough to make a positive contribution against most teams. Not against the Rockets. Their defense is too relentless, especially along the 3-point line, where Thompson lives most of his basketball life.

The Warriors were not at their best in Game 4, as they had been in the previous contest, but they weren't terrible. Kevin Durant (27 points but on 9-of-24 shooting) was just a little off. Curry was great at times, but he was 10 of 26 overall. Draymond Green was a beast on defense, but he got dunked on ferociously by James Harden, and later missed a dunk of his own.

The Warriors also turned the ball over 16 times Tuesday, a number they talked about at length afterward. But let's be honest, the Warriors habitually throw crazy passes. It's their Achilles' heel. It rarely matters, because they're so good at every other facet of the game.

It's different against the Rockets, though. The Warriors must play well to beat them. The margin of error is that small.

It's a calculus that gains importance as the series moves back to Houston for Game 5 on Thursday. The Warriors' 2017-18 season was a long roll of the dice by Kerr and his players. All season long, they emphasized health over win-loss record. The goal was to get to the postseason with all cylinders firing (a tactic that ultimately came apart when Curry hurt his knee on March 23).

The best record and the No. 1 seed in the West? They ceded it to the Rockets.

In effect, the Warriors were admitting they didn't care so much about home-court advantage. Yes, they would have preferred to start this series in Oakland and host a potential seventh game. But it wasn't their priority. They felt they were the better team, no matter where the games are played.

Now the theory will be put to the test. Because with their win in Game 4, the Rockets reclaimed the home-court advantage. And now they basically have it in a three-game series: one in Houston, one back here, and one more - if necessary, as they say - at the Toyota Center. If it goes to seven games, that arena will be bonkers, and the Warriors will be facing down incredible pressure on the road.

“I don't think the mindset is any different,” Curry said. “We went in Game 1 (in Houston), and took care of business. We know what it's like to win in that arena. We should be ready to go. We need to reset, put together a pretty solid, 48-minute game, and steal one down there.”

Outside the Warriors locker room, this series, and this whole season, suddenly feel more precarious now. As if one bad break could end the dream of a third NBA title in four seasons. The Warriors will study the film and figure out what went wrong for them. But make no mistake, part of the answer rests in the opponent. The Rockets were the best team in the regular season, and they're the one team with a legitimate chance to beat the Warriors in the postseason.

You can reach staff writer Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Skinny_Post.