History repeats itself! The Rockets five dilemma is exposed, and it is no accident that the defeat in the tiebreak is not a coincidence. When will the "blood suppression" end?

In the first round of the 2025 playoffs, the cheers from the Houston Rockets at home finally turned into silence. Facing the Golden State Warriors, this young Rockets lost in the fifth-level dilemma, continuing the "Warriors Curse" that lasted for ten years. This failure is not only a gap in strength, but also a comprehensive competition of experience, mentality and tactics.

Dilemma 1: The core player's ice and fire have become the watershed of victory or defeat. The Rockets' offensive core Jaylen Green fell into a slump in the entire series, scoring less than double-digit points in 4 of 7 games, averaging only 13.3 points and a three-point shooting percentage of less than 30%. In sharp contrast, Warriors shooter Buddy Hilder transformed into a "three-point killer" in tiebreak, scoring 33 points in 9 three-pointers in a single game, directly tearing the Rockets' defense line. Although Amen Thompson (24 points, 9 rebounds) and Shin Kyung (21 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists) occasionally have highlights, the lack of stability of young players in key battles makes it difficult for the Rockets to form continuous firepower.

Dilemma 2: The fatal gap between the outside line and the bombing completely defeated the Rockets. In the tiebreak, the Rockets made only 6 of 18 three-pointers, with a shooting percentage as low as 33.3%, while the Warriors scored 18 three-pointers, and Hilder contributed half of it alone. Especially in the second half, the Rockets were forced to give up joint defense in order to limit Hilder and switched to man-to-man defense, which exposed the loopholes in the defense. This offensive and defensive imbalance has completely reduced the Rockets' outside line to the "performance stage" of the Warriors.

Dilemma 3: The gap between experience and key ball handling becomes a fatal injury for the Rockets. Warriors veterans Curry, Mengmeng Green and Butler frequently scored a scoring climax in the final quarter - Curry only scored 3 points in the first half, but scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, locking in the victory with the iconic "good night three-pointer". In contrast, the Rockets made continuous mistakes at critical moments: G4 Shen Jing failed to pursue his dream in singles, Jaylen Green missed an open three-pointer in the tiebreaker, and the tension and hesitation of the young players completely tilted the balance of victory.

Dilemma 4: The complete defeat in the tactical game highlights the gap between the head coaches of the two teams. Kerr boldly reused Hilde in G7, attracting double-teams and activates character players through space pulling and Curry; while Uduka was weak in tactical adjustments when facing the Warriors' joint defense. After Adams left the court, he lost all the advantages in the interior, and he could not crack the opponent's defense, nor could he play his own characteristics. This lack of on-site response has put the Rockets in a passive strategic position.

Dilemma 5: Psychological shadows and historical burdens have become the last straw that crushes the Rockets. Since 2015, the Rockets have been eliminated by the Warriors in the playoffs for five consecutive times. The curse of "blood suppression" has caused players to make frequent mistakes under home pressure. Jaylen Green admitted after the game: "The first playoffs is not an excuse, but it does need to be learned." This sentence reveals the Rockets' dilemma - young talent requires time to settle, and the Warriors have already engraved the Rockets' weaknesses into their bones with ten years of confrontation. Although this loss was cruel, it also sounded the alarm for the Rockets' young lineup. The comprehensive improvement of experience, mentality and tactics will be their only way to break through the predicament. For the Warriors, this victory is not only the key to promotion, but also the prologue to the legend.