The Golden State Warriors have dramatically improved since the acquisition of Jimmy Butler III in a commercial agreement. But before the game on Thursday against the Houston Rockets, all their appearances with a bracket are context.

An impressive victory in Butler’s debut came against a short Chicago Bulls team, and Golden State was back at one point by 24 points. Two days later there was a nice victory against a team from Milwaukee Bucks, which played without Giannis Antetocounmpo. And the defeat on Wednesday evening was exciting against a team of Dallas Mavericks that did not have Anthony Davis.

Therefore, a Rockets team stood near the Western Conference rating – and on the street, no less – the opportunity to prove that it is a new team.

And without a gas in the tank, the Warriors made this statement and defeated Houston with 105-98 in their last game before the All Star break.

For the first time in some time, the victory did not require a comeback. Instead, the warriors were desperate, the warriors who tried to keep the type of comeback that they had exhibited in their latest victories.

Things started well with a new small ball series (Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody and Draymond Green), which all star Alperen Şengün hidden. The Warriors had a surprising amount of energy and flew over the entire square and played the defense of Lock-Down. They closed the first quarter with a 7-0 run and led 28-19.

The defense effort led them in the second half, with Podziemski and Moody taking over the magnifying glass and showing in every area of ​​the game. They played with so much energy and less than five minutes led to the Dubs 44-27. Things looked great!

But Houston reacted with seven points within a minute and prompted Steve Kerr -time overrun. This settled down the warriors, who were locked up again with some surprising articles by Pat Spencer and pushed the lead back to 17 points. The Rockets were going to run again, with the warriors being sloppy, but things broke the path of the Golden State when half came to an end: Houston committed a ruthless foul at the half court with nine seconds and strengthened them with a technical foul . Curry made all three free throws and the dubs marched in half with a lead of 62-48.

The energy and the extraordinary defense remained in the third quarter. The tour grew and grew and grew and reached an advantage of 24 points with four minutes. Golden State seemed to be good on the way to a dominant victory for a very good team.

And then an admittedly understandable breakdown came. Every person who has ever surpassed in the gym can refer to what happened to the warriors.

The dubs played their second intensive game on so many nights. They played their third game on four nights and their sixth game in a row on the street. They have not been in California for 10 days and had to deal with the feelings with a beloved teammate, the pressure to process a new star in the fold, and the exhaustion to replace four players with a player during these 10 days. , treated. leads to an increased workload across the board.

They were gassed. And ime Udoka counterattacked with countless Rockets players who hadn’t played the night before.

Exhaustion hit energy and they know how to do it. The Rockets ended the quarter with 13: 1 and confiscated the dynamics, even though it rose 82: 70. This run was 17: 1 in the fourth quarter and it was an eight-point game. Soon the run was 25-5.

The warriors just had nothing. They were on the last mile of the marathon and pray openly and pray openly for a second wind that probably didn’t seem to come. The tour was cut to two at around 7:30 a.m., what Bob Fitzgerald prompted to say: “If the rockets take the lead, the game is over.”

But they didn’t do it. Curry, who seemed completely without legs with legs, replied with three and led to a break in Houston. The Rockets had a second, third and fourth chance at the next possession, but somehow came away with empty hands. Podziemski was the first warrior to found a second wind and gave the team big minutes. Kevon Looney also kept her over water, but Houston became insulting after the offensive rebound, while Looney was beaten up and begged for a pipe that never seemed to come.

The dubs had frustrated the referees and on themselves to an exhausted performance, but somehow not given up the lead. Finally, remaining 3:40, Curry nailed a side step of three to take the lead to seven. On the 2: 01-Mark, Butler forced Butler to get a few free throws to provide the Golden State an 11-point advantage. They had found their second wind.

But Houston still had more legs, more life and more energy thanks to more calm. They scored five quick points, and when the warriors came empty at the other end, their heart began to decrease.

The dubs had a last moment when he had dug deeply. Podziemski and Butler tried the rare Halfcourt double, and Podz simply tore away the ball from Aaron’s holiday. The Warriors used almost the entire shooting clock at the other end and finally found Draymond at the top of the key because the buzzer had expired.

Somehow Green found the energy for a game that remained three with 47 seconds.

The dubs won 105-98. They defeated a comeback, even if they had exhausted any energy they had. And now you can rest for a while and enter the All Star break as a team that is prepared for an increase in the late season.

All five starters ended with two numbers: 27 for Curry, 19 for Butler, 18 for Podziemski, 13 for green and 10 for Moody. The thubs only shot 26.8% from the depth, but only committed 10 sales while they were forcing 20.

A great, great, great victory.