3 Reasons the Rockets Lost to The Warriors – NBA Western Conference Finals 2018

The Houston Rockets made a gargantuan effort to beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 Western Conference Finals, but their luck ran out in Game 7. They may never get as good a chance to take down the Warriors for the next several years. Here are three reasons for the loss.

Lost in the Tunnels

Houston has one of the largest underground pedestrian tunnel systems in the world. It connects more than 100 city blocks and runs over seven miles. News reports revealed that half the Rockets were lost in the tunnels for most of the day before Game 7, making their game rushed and off-balance. “We went shopping together with our wives and girlfriends, with some guys bringing both at the same time. We got lost in the tunnels and couldn’t find our way out,” one Rockets player said. “And there was no cell phone reception. I thought we were going to be found dead with our iPhones by our side, batteries depleted.” Rescue workers found them with enough time to get to the game, but by then the stress threw off their game.

Humidity

Houston regularly makes the top ten list of most humid cities in America, losing only to super-moist towns like New Orleans and Miami. Houston’s humidity hovers around 75 percent most of the year, even indoors. The air is so thick, it affected the Rockets practice sessions. “The ball flies through the air like it is going through molasses,” send a high profile Rockets player. “One shot I made took 60 seconds to get to the basket. I had time to take out my phone and order a pizza for after practice.” The humidity took it’s toll on Rockets stars like Chris Paul and James Harden. Shooters made 44 attempts from behind the 3-point line, only making seven. “The humidity was killing us the whole game,” Paul said.

Restless at Home

One of the big reasons the Rockets lost is anxiety about playing for so long in the same building. The Rockets have played in the Toyota Center since 2003.  In their early years in Houston, they played at many venues including Hofheinz Pavilion, Sam Houston Coliseum, the Astrodome and even Astrohall. Moving around in the same town is in their DNA. Staying in the Toyota Center for so long is not natural to them – it made them anxious, skittish and error-prone, ending their season when the Warriors put them down in Game 7.