Warriors' leaders are pending in game 7 against Rockets a familiar feeling

So much has changed since they recently took a 3-1 series in the lead. Stephen Curry had two children at the time; He now has four. Draymond Green had a clean face at the time; His beard is now closed gray.

The signs of ripening and aging are so obvious with these two golden state legends, the last remaining symbols of a past championship dynasty. How much will you age when you reappear to the wrong end of a rally?

In 2016 it was the Cavaliers who amazed the Warriors and the Basketball World and won a championship for Cleveland with a violent comeback driven by LeBron James and sealed by Kyrie Irving.

On Sunday it could be the Frisky Rockets who claim a playoff series in the first round and do this at the expense of a couple pride, but at the moment vulnerable Warriors main supports.

This time Curry play a crucial role in the reverse rally at the age of 37 and green at the age of 35. In the first six games they were not in the best form and they each share a measure of guilt that this series is bound with 3-all binding.

You can also deliver a little redemption in game 7 and avoid a feared repetition of the story. This is because you also deliver here on the back nine of your career when it is most important.

Draymond: “A game 7 is a game 7. Every time you have the opportunity to do so, it's fun. It's exciting.”

Curry: “If you don't appear with this appropriate mentality, you have a long summer vacation in front of you.”

This NBA final against the Cavs was historical, nerve-wracking, dramatic and strongly observed. It became a flash point and a turning point for this generation of tires. The Warriors tried to wrap an arc in one season where they win 73 games and then claim the first two games of the final by 48 points. The Cavs tried to deal with Cleveland, which had never won an NBA title.

And the series and the script turned into play 4 when Draymond, which can be a bit emotional, sparked a sensitive place on Lebron's body.

He received a technical foul, which meant a one-game suspension for a player who tabbed too many technicians in this post-season. Draymond had kicked Steven Adams in the bar – Adams by chance now plays for the Rockets – and previously threw Michael Beasley onto the floor. The Warriors lost this game with 3-1, while Draymond watched in a luxury suite in the Oakland Coliseum, the home of A's.

One of the most forgotten appearances in the story was the one who was delivered in game 7 after the suspension. In view of the circumstances, it was the most impressive of his career: 32 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and several muscle flexes. But it was buried under Lebron's chase-down block and Kyrie's game.

Curry first cooked in this series. Then it went downhill, similar to this series with the Rockets.

In game 4 he scored 38 points against the Cavs to give the Warriors their commanding lead. He only scored 30 points in this series. His efficiency not only gradually made a dive, but his meek game 7 invited a criticism of a player who was Teflon until this point.

In this game, Steph made six buckets (out of 19 attempts). He had six sales. He made a basket in the fourth quarter. He has been goalless in the last six minutes. He came to Kyrie on the game winner of the Cavs Guard too late. It was a humiliating experience for a player who won his second MVP in a row during the season.

“I didn't do enough to win my team,” he said. “It will follow me for a while.”

And what did the Rockets imagine in this series for Steph and Draymond? Some ups, some downs.

Draymond had a triumphant mano-a mano against Alperen Sengun in the last seconds of game 4 when the Rockets went to her big husband and draymond took on the defensive challenge. Sengun's shot fell short and draymond howled.

In the next two games, however, Sengun scored 14 against 29 and an average of 18 points with 12 rebounds and eight templates. His self -confidence or soul were not stolen afterwards.

Draymond worse – his old friend Adams came from the bank to spell Sengun and played great.

In the meantime, Draymond has as many sales in the last two games as rebounds and baskets (six each). He gives shots, even if the rockets give him a lot of space.

Steph was 1 and 3 in games, but usually in the rest. He was dealing with a painful thumb and shot under 40% in the last two losses, always having the chance to eliminate the rockets and was Friday in the fourth quarter.

In addition: Fred Vanvleet exceeds it. The Rockets Guard, who defeated Curry for the 2019 championship as a member of the Raptors, scored 18: 27 in the last three games and showed a greater feeling of urgency, mainly because he had no choice.

Here Steph and Draymond are currently between the opportunity to pay or repeat for history. At least for Curry, his last taste of a game 7 juicy-one was 50-part against the kings in another legacy game for him.

At least Jimmy Butler, who usually brings his A-game in the post-season and has proven to be an ideal teammate in a retail in the in-season since his arrival.

“We will win together, we will lose together,” said Butler. “And I know that we will definitely win together on Sunday.”

Nevertheless, that's on Draymond Green, that's on Stephen Curry. This is another 3: 1 lead, which is now 3-all, and there is no scope for mistakes. The story cannot be nice if there is a relapse for you.

“I know that we are all enthusiastic about the fact that we still have life, even though these last two games have not been in the way,” said Curry.

Life? Yes. But for how long? If everything is said and done on Sunday, it is either a grin … or go home.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can send him an email Here you will find his archive here and follow him X.

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