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It was a grand opening, special night for Monta Ellis

Few play the Warriors are “their game”; even fewer beat the Warriors at “their game”.  This was certainly the case for the Houston Rockets, as they tried to outdo the Warriors at what they do best -run the court and shoot the lights out.  Monta Ellis matched a career-best with 46 points on 18-24 from the field and his back court partner Stephen Curry posted a double-double with 25 points and 12 helpers.  Luis Scola tried to keep pace with 36 points and 16 rebounds, but he and the Rockets could not do so while allowing the Warriors to shoot better than 55 percent from the floor.  Who said shooting the basketball was a lost art in the game today?  If it still is a lost art, the Warriors must be the exception.

As impressive as Ellis and Curry shot the rock, on the contrary, Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin were unable to counter the act of the Golden State 1-2 punch with impressive shooting nights of their own, as they combined to shoot just 9-29 from the court and 3-12 from beyond the arc.  The two sharpshooters of the Warriors teamed up for an astonishing 71 points on 27-40 shooting the pumpkin.  The tone was set early and the game was at a frantic, up-tempo pace that the Rockets could never reset and fully compete with.  The style of the Warriors was just a bit too much for the Rick Adelman’s club to handle, especially considering the fact they were coming off a grueling battle with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers the night before.

It was a good think Yao set this contest out.  Watching the game, I could only imagine what it would have been like if Yao had played.  I don’t think it would have made a difference and it was better off he watched his teammates on the sidelines in street clothes due to the up and down style of action.   Choosing to sit Yao means the big fellow will have three full days of rest upon returning to the hardwood this Saturday for the team’s home opener against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.  As for the run and shoot Warriors, they will host Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers in the Bay Area on Friday night.