HOUSTON -- The Rockets-Warriors rivalry has long been among the NBA's best.
At the moment, it seems the battle is dormant, as evidenced by Golden State's 129-112 loss to Houston on Wednesday night.
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The young Warriors put up a fight early, shooting 50 percent from the field in the first quarter. However, after a Rockets' blitz over the next 12 minutes, the outcome was never in doubt.
Without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, more of these games are expected from the Warriors, as they're forced to prioritize growth and development over wins.
Here are three takeaways from Golden State's latest loss.
Paschall struggles
Golden State Warriors
Entering Wednesday, Warriors rookie Eric Paschall had been averaging nearly 30 points and eight rebounds over his last two games. The trend didn't continue against the Rockets, as he finished with 19 points on just 6-of-14 shooting from the field.
Much of Paschall's problems came at the hands of PJ Tucker, who took the primary defensive assignment on Golden State's rookie.
He did have his moments, though, including a baseline slam in the second quarter that put the Warriors up four points.
Wednesday's game was a reminder of Paschall's current place in the league. Though he's been successful in recent games, teams are now scouting him as Golden State's primary scorer. Over time, he will have to adjust through film work and practice, something the Warriors are confident will happen.
Second quarter of doom
While Paschall struggled, his biggest contribution might have been for the other team. Following an and-1 in the second half over Rockets guard James Harden, the rookie walked to Golden State's bench and yelled, "He's food!" before making the ensuing free throw.
Harden and the Rockets responded with a 23-8 run to close the half, outscoring the Warriors 33-23 in the second quarter. By halftime, Harden had scored 20 of his game-high 36 points.
While Paschall's comments might have sparked the Houston outburst, the Rockets' performance was expected considering the talent gap between the two teams. So Paschall and the Warriors will have to charge this one to the mismatch.
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Another bad shooting night for Poole
Entering Wednesday, Jordan Poole was shooting 26 percent from the field. His luck didn't get any better by end of the night, as Poole finished just 2-of-11 from the field against the Rockets, scoring just eight points.
Dating back to his college career, Poole has never been shy about chucking, regardless of what his shooting percentage is. That quality is admired by both players and coaches alike within the organization. Coach Steve Kerr has said that he has full confidence in the rookie's shot, no matter how accurate it is at the moment.
Going forward, Poole's task will be to reward his team's trust and put the ball in the hoop.