Warriors ride complete performance to 2-0 series lead over Rockets

In an era filled with laughing and joking between teams, Warriors-Rockets is the closest the NBA comes to the animosity-filled showdowns of Larry Bird’s Celtics and the "Showtime" Lakers.

No other pair of franchises better meets a rivalry’s two chief requirements: competitive balance and mutual disdain. In case it needed even more motivation, the Warriors needed only to read the recent reports about Houston alleging it deserved to win not only Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, but last May’s West finals.

As Golden State head coach Steve Kerr put it during his pregame news conference Tuesday evening, "There will be a new story, hopefully, after this game." Seemingly intent on giving the Rockets no room for excuses, the Warriors delivered one of their more complete performances of the postseason, riding a balanced offense and timely stops to a 115-109 win over the Rockets in Game 2.

The officiating, a national talking point after Golden State had several questionable close-outs on James Harden 3-pointers in Game 1, wasn’t much of a factor Tuesday. This allowed the focus to be where Golden State wanted it: its two-way dynamism.

Houston shot 17-for-40 (42.5%) from 3-point range, but just narrowly avoided failing to score 100 points in its seventh consecutive playoff game against the Warriors. Scoring proved difficult at times for the Rockets because, simply, they didn’t have possession of the basketball.

Thanks to significantly more turnovers (18) than Golden State (12) and an 18-10 disadvantage on the offensive glass, Houston attempted 14 fewer shots than the Warriors. But as is in the case in most rivalries, the Rockets still managed to add a measure of suspense, rallying back from a 15-point deficit to cut their deficit to 108-102 with 1:20 left.

Guard Stephen Curry, who dislocated his left...