Warriors, after another close-out game flop, face ramped-up pressure for Game 6

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HOUSTON — The Golden State Warriors could use a hot game from 3. One of their periodic scorchers where they knock down 20 from deep and feel like an invincible juggernaut. Daggers landing from everywhere.

They’re 19-4 this season when making at least 18 3s — 10-0 since acquiring Jimmy Butler. Those games tend to break their foes.

But nothing about the first five games of this first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, especially the last two, suggests such is likely.

The pressure is increasing on the Warriors, both the psychological weight of the stakes and the intensity being applied by a Rockets squad with nothing to lose. The experience it takes to power through the feels and take open 3s like they’re nothing just isn’t present in key spots. For some of the Warriors, especially in Wednesday’s Game 5, a 131-116 blowout loss, open 3s feel like lonely experiences.

No, this task of winning this series, and silencing the aggression of Houston, will require some greatness being dug up from somewhere deep. It’s going to require the hard things being conquered.

That begins with Stephen Curry. He doesn’t have the luxury of waiting, of feeling the game out. He certainly can’t play with the same listlessness he displayed in Game 5.

The safe money has always been on him answering the bell. He’s done it so many times, even when it seemed unlikely. And as a backup plan, they have Jimmy Butler, whose history of impressiveness in these spots has etched him into the lore of this era.

Neither showed up in the Game 5 debacle in Houston. Nor did Draymond Green, the anchor of a defense that gave up 76 points on what felt like 3,000-percent shooting in the first half.

“We’re fine,” Butler said. “Our confidence isn’t going to waver. We’re going to start out better and play a better overall game.”

Steph Curry was 4-for-12 for 13 points in just over 23 minutes in Game 5. “We’ve had a pretty resilient group,” he said, “… and it has to show on Friday.” (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)

Their absence was conspicuous enough to feel subconsciously intentional. Like they’d only burn some of their precious remaining fuel if the Rockets played poorly enough to make it worth their while.

But no, Houston was lit. Salivating on defense. Comfortable on offense. Their confidence grew until it seemed as if every shot was going in, no matter who took it. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks shot like they were the new Splash Brothers.

“Young team, on their home floor trying to stay alive,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “they came out and threw haymakers at us. They made every shot in the first quarter, so we got what we deserved.”

The Warriors buckled at the first sign of resistance. It was predictable. For Dubs loyalists, this was akin to flicking through channels and coming across, like, “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” — the 1988 comedy-horror movie where murderous aliens terrorize a small town — or getting sucked into “Angels and Demons” because of Tom Hanks. You’d seen this movie before, you know it’s bad. But the remote batteries suddenly died, so you’re watching it.

This particular horror flick previously aired in Memphis in the second round 2022. And in Dallas in the next round. Even in San Francisco in 2023 against Sacramento in the first round.

For most of the second half, Curry, Butler and Green were watching it with you.

“They weren’t playing ‘Whoop that Trick,’” Green said, referencing the 2022 Game 5 humiliation in Memphis, “but they may as well have been.”

The Warriors, in their post-dynastic iteration, have approached close-out games, particularly their first ones, with the urgency of a middle schooler forced to do chores. The safety net of multiple chances to eliminate a team has repeatedly prompted a softness that belies their championship mettle.

But now, the Warriors get a close-out game at home. They’ve always responded after getting mauled, finishing the deal on the reprieve.

This time, however, feels riskier. The Warriors’ best players are older. The games are coming faster. The advantage of experience and postseason expertise Golden State enjoyed seems to be trending towards Houston’s vigor and endurance. The Rockets are feeling good about themselves.

Plus, as the Warriors know too well from elongated eliminations past, procrastinating on chores usually comes with a price.

“This group is trying to do this for the first time together,” Curry said. “And I love that challenge because we have an opportunity to write our own story and how we bounce back. We’ve had a pretty resilient group over the last two months, and it has to show on Friday.”

Curry’s wise to see this as an inaugural trip around this postseason sun. Because though the top of this roster is familiar with this heat, some key pieces are not. They’re being refined by fire right now.

Poor Quinten Post, the rookie center who’s at the back of the line in the doling out of blame, looked to be overwhelmed by his first close-out game. In a slapstick sequence, he lost the ball in transition, just dropped it. Then got beat on a backdoor cut where he lost sight of his man — fortunately for him, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. just lost the ball. Then Green hit Post in the head with a pass as Post wasn’t looking on a cut to the basket.

It was illustrative how much this shouldn’t be on Post, or some of these other youngsters making their debut as significant postseason figures. This is new to Brandin Podziemski, as much as it doesn’t look like it. Moses Moody is new to being a critical role player with important responsibilities. Buddy Hield hasn’t taken 3s with this much impact in his career. Gui Santos might grocery shop with playoff intensity, but he’s still a novice to this stage.

This begins with Curry. He and his coaches can’t let him be taken out of the game. He’s said as much, then the Warriors proceeded to allow it. As a result, they barely survived Game 4 and were bludgeoned by murderous aliens in Game 5.

The Rockets’ waves of athletic defenders and blitzing schemes have neutered the head of the snake for the Warriors. Curry’s passivity to start games, and his turnovers, have been complicit in the Warriors’ sputtering offense.

This is the stage of the season where Curry eats first.

And he could really use Playoff Jimmy to relieve some of this pressure.

And the defense. Save for the third quarter of Game 4, and Green’s clutch stop on Alperen Şengün on the final possession Monday, the Rockets have gotten what they wanted from the Warriors the last two games. They’ve shot 52.3 percent over the two games, making 45.3 percent of their 3s, and attempted 69 free throws. They’ve looked comfortable getting where they wanted on the floor, and they simply aren’t missing open shots.

Some resistance has to happen.

In that sense, Game 5 has a silver lining. The conservation plans of the Warriors’ 35-and-up cohort of stars should leave them fresh(er) for Game 6. And though Friday’s showdown is at 6 p.m. local — one hour earlier than normal, thanks to the Lakers’ elimination, likely depriving them of the shootaround that tends to help their performance — they felt good about getting a full off day at home on Thursday. After Game 4, the Warriors stayed over in Houston, and a day off became a long travel day, which was felt as this series switched to every other day.

But they had at least a half-day off in Game 5. And they’ve lost the cushion that made their performance acceptable. They’d better get their chores done.

(Top photo of Steph Curry leaving the floor after Wednesday’s Game 5: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)

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