Magic Johnson predicts Stephen Curry, Warriors to have 7-game series against Houston Rockets

Magic Johnson puts the onus on Amen Thompson and co to produce a defensive masterclass against Stephen Curry in Warriors vs Rockets.

Magic Johnson predicts Stephen Curry, Warriors to have 7-game series against Houston Rockets

Amen Thompson, Stephen Curry

Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors promises to be one of the most mouthwatering playoff matchups in the first round. These two teams present two opposing spectrums of NBA talent. While the Warriors are relying on established superstars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, Houston will bank on its youth. The likes of Amen Thompson, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will need to put in a lot of work.

Despite being seeded seventh, the Warriors are -180 favorites to win the first-round matchup. Bookies and oddsmakers are banking on Golden State’s experience and Draymond Green’s defensive acumen to edge the series. Seven of ESPN’s experts also picked them to win the series, as opposed to two picking the Rockets. However, all of the panelists expect the series to have six or seven games, indicating the closeness of the matchup.

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Lakers legend Magic Johnson also expects a close series between these two teams. The former Lakers President of Basketball operations recently posted about the keys to the series on social media. According to Johnson, the Warriors will need a third contributor on offense to step up and make the difference. He thinks Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga could both be this X-factor in the series.

The Rockets are more athletic than Golden State led by Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun – and Fred VanVleet is a NBA champion with plenty of Playoff experience. Golden State with future Hall of Famer and the best shooter in the NBA Steph Curry are going to need playoff Jimmy Butler to also dominate, but who else will step up for the Warriors in this match up?

Magic Johnson tweeted

Johnson believes that Alperen Sengun would be unstoppable against the Warriors, even though they have DPOY candidate Draymond Green to match up with the young Turkish sensation. The five-time NBA champion thinks this series will also likely go for seven games.

How Stephen Curry is guarded will decide the Rockets vs Warriors series

The Houston Rockets have already proven their readiness to be able to guard Stephen Curry. They held the four-time NBA champion to a paltry three points when the two teams last met. Amen Thompson was a huge factor in this battle, expertly denying Curry the ball while navigating screens from all Warriors players.

The Rockets were also able to switch Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green onto Curry with a high degree of effectiveness in their previous encounter. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka will likely opt to use Thompson again as Curry’s primary defender for the series. Thompson has the motor, the athleticism, and the defensive acumen to be a thorn in his side.

Defending Curry will be a team-wide task, as will be containing Butler when the Warriors look to change their offensive approach up at various points in the series. Butler is adept at earning free throws and putting defenders into foul trouble. Even though Butler’s advancing age has sapped him of some athleticism, he can still get to the paint or to his spots in the mid-range effectively, as he proved against the Bucks in the 2023 NBA playoffs.

The Rockets’ offense will rely on Sengun creating looks for his teammates on cuts as well as pick-and-rolls. Their offensive ceiling is much lower given their lack of creators, but they can bank on their defensive intensity to keep them in games. The upcoming series will definitely be a fascinating clash of styles. It will be interesting to see who emerges from the series to take on the Lakers or the Wolves.