Stephen Curry Takes Hidden Shots At Rockets On The Bench After Tari Eason Called Them Out

This was a pivotal game in the race for the No. 10 seed in the West, as the Rockets had caught up to the Warriors after an incredible run of form in March that saw them go on an 11-game winning streak. While the gap was at one game a week ago when Eason made his Instagram story mocking Golden State, today, they sit four games behind.

This was the sixth win for the Warriors in a row, allowing them to consolidate their position as a play-in team with an outside chance at climbing further up provided they can keep up their recent hot form until the end of the season.

Draymond Green And Klay Thompson Took Open Shots At The Rockets

Tari Eason is a promising young player, but he might have overplayed his hand when the story called out the Warriors. That story also set off a chain of angry reactions from players in Golden State, starting with Draymond Green. Green criticized Eason for being injured and not playing but still resorting to trash-talk, which his teammates would have to back up.

"I'm a little surprised that he hasn't played in a game since January 1st. So, it's kind of tough to come out yelling 'Come out and play' and you're not gonna play. It puts a lot of strain on your guys and you can't get out there and help them.”

Klay Thompson wasn't far behind Green in his criticism, bringing up the same point about Eason's unavailability while calling the stunt lame.

"That's pretty lame, especially if you're not even playing. It's one thing if you're playing and can actually back it up, but if you're going to be trolling from the sideline, it's like, 'Bro, what are we doing?' At least we're out there competing. That's all I have to say about that."

This will be a great learning exercise for the young Rockets, as they clearly bit off more than they chew. The Warriors dynasty might be dying, but it's not dead yet. The Rockets simply don't have the pedigree required to pull off high-leverage wins like the Warriors have managed over the last week and did in this encounter.

The future remains bright in Houston, as their collection of young talent will be bolstered by a lottery pick that the Brooklyn Nets will send their way. Their young players are solid, while Ime Udoka has proven his worth as an NBA coach this season.

The Warriors, on the other hand, are grappling with the end of a championship dynasty that won four titles. Now, they're hoping to sneak into the playoffs two years after their last title triumph. With Klay Thompson's impending free agency, the Warriors might see one of their key dynasty pieces leave.