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  6. article_body => "<p>OAKLAND \u2014&nbsp;The Houston Rockets don\u2019t own the Warriors, not by a long shot. Nobody does.<\/p>\n<p>The two-time defending champs are peerless in terms of depth, clutch performance and raw star power, but ... let\u2019s be frank. The Rockets are a migraine headache.<\/p>\n<p>Houston has won four straight regular-season games against the Warriors, including all three meetings in this campaign.<\/p>\n<p>They beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena last month, and did so without Chris Paul. They <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/warriors\/warriors-takeaways-what-we-learned-loss-james-harden-less-rockets\" target=\"_blank\">beat the Warriors 118-112<\/a> Saturday night at Oracle Arena, and did so without James Harden.<\/p>\n<p>The Warriors were at full strength in the latest loss to Houston, proof positive the Rockets are a threat.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s understood within Houston\u2019s ranks, and there\u2019s confidence they can compete with the NBA\u2019s best team.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI truly believe that we\u2019re the team that can give them the -- we\u2019re their toughest opponent, I feel like,\u201d Rockets guard Eric Gordon said. \u201cThey know who they are. This is another game to them. We have to continue playing and trying to be a championship team. They know who they are. This is just another game to them, but this is a special one for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was also important to be the Warriors in the East Bay, where the Rockets have won three straight regular-season games dating to last season. Houston coach Mike D\u2019Antoni cautioned against making too much of that, and threw a wet blanket on any hot take suggesting these Rockets have the Warriors\u2019 number.<\/p>\n<p>This is, Houston sang in chorus, only the regular season. Success in this part of the NBA calendar means ...<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing. Nothing,\u201d Paul said. \u201cYou can come in and win on a Monday night in February or a Tuesday night in November or December, but the playoffs is when you have to beat a team four out of seven times. It\u2019s great that we won tonight, but in two days y\u2019all will forget this. We all will.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s one more regular-season matchup in Houston on March 13 that apparently won\u2019t mean squat, but odds are great these teams will meet again when it really matters.<\/p>\n<p>Houston\u2019s currently the No. 5 seed, and is within striking distance of the No. 3. The Warriors are expected to finish atop the Western Conference, so it\u2019s possible a Warriors-Rockets showdown could come in the second round&nbsp;or the conference championships.<\/p>\n<p><strong>[RELATED:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/warriors\/draymond-green-says-hell-be-fine-after-ankle-sprain-against-rockets\" target=\"_blank\">Draymond Green says he'll 'be fine' after ankle sprain against Rockets<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The latter would be a rematch of last season\u2019s classic seven-game series win the Warriors eeked out with two straight victories. Any postseason meeting should be highly competitive, especially considering the Warriors' track record and how these regular-season games have gone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s the regular season, so I\u2019m not going to get fired up like last year,\u201d Rockets center Clint Capela said. \u201cI\u2019m going to stay focused and take one game at a time and thinking about the playoffs. We all know that, in the playoffs, it\u2019s a different atmosphere.\u201d<\/p>\n"
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Warriors

Warriors

OAKLAND — The Houston Rockets don’t own the Warriors, not by a long shot. Nobody does.

The two-time defending champs are peerless in terms of depth, clutch performance and raw star power, but ... let’s be frank. The Rockets are a migraine headache.

Houston has won four straight regular-season games against the Warriors, including all three meetings in this campaign.

They beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena last month, and did so without Chris Paul. They beat the Warriors 118-112 Saturday night at Oracle Arena, and did so without James Harden.

The Warriors were at full strength in the latest loss to Houston, proof positive the Rockets are a threat.

That’s understood within Houston’s ranks, and there’s confidence they can compete with the NBA’s best team.

“I truly believe that we’re the team that can give them the -- we’re their toughest opponent, I feel like,” Rockets guard Eric Gordon said. “They know who they are. This is another game to them. We have to continue playing and trying to be a championship team. They know who they are. This is just another game to them, but this is a special one for us.”

It was also important to be the Warriors in the East Bay, where the Rockets have won three straight regular-season games dating to last season. Houston coach Mike D’Antoni cautioned against making too much of that, and threw a wet blanket on any hot take suggesting these Rockets have the Warriors’ number.

 

This is, Houston sang in chorus, only the regular season. Success in this part of the NBA calendar means ...

“Nothing. Nothing,” Paul said. “You can come in and win on a Monday night in February or a Tuesday night in November or December, but the playoffs is when you have to beat a team four out of seven times. It’s great that we won tonight, but in two days y’all will forget this. We all will.”

There’s one more regular-season matchup in Houston on March 13 that apparently won’t mean squat, but odds are great these teams will meet again when it really matters.

Houston’s currently the No. 5 seed, and is within striking distance of the No. 3. The Warriors are expected to finish atop the Western Conference, so it’s possible a Warriors-Rockets showdown could come in the second round or the conference championships.

[RELATED: Draymond Green says he'll 'be fine' after ankle sprain against Rockets]

The latter would be a rematch of last season’s classic seven-game series win the Warriors eeked out with two straight victories. Any postseason meeting should be highly competitive, especially considering the Warriors' track record and how these regular-season games have gone.

“It’s the regular season, so I’m not going to get fired up like last year,” Rockets center Clint Capela said. “I’m going to stay focused and take one game at a time and thinking about the playoffs. We all know that, in the playoffs, it’s a different atmosphere.”