Houston Rockets: Clint Capela is ready for the Warriors

After taking care of the Utah Jazz in five games, Houston Rockets center, Clint Capela, is ready to ‘run it back’ against the Golden State Warriors in the second round.

After sending the Utah Jazz home in a Game 5 victory, the Houston Rockets are in the position they have chased since May 28, 2019.

In case you’ve somehow forgotten, that was the date Houston lost a brutal Game 7 to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. At one point, Houston led the series 3-2, but Chris Paul missed both Game 6 and Game 7, and the Rockets didn’t quite have enough to overcome Paul’s injury against the defending champions.

This season, however, Houston is completely healthy with a deeper bench. The Rockets had less depth a season ago, and a separated shoulder really limited Luc Mbah a Moute‘s effectiveness in the 2018 playoffs. The Rockets are also red-hot at the perfect time. Houston won 20 of their final 25 games of the regular season and have just six losses in the past 30 games, including the postseason.

After Game 5 of the first round, Clint Capela told reporters that he and the Rockets are ready for Golden State.

Capela wants the Warriors

? @CP3

(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/QgAS9ZOgeu

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 25, 2019

“Yeah, that’s what I want. I want to face them. We’re going to get ready for that. We’ve been working on it all year long.”

‘Run It Back’ has been a battle cry for the Rockets all season long. They’ve worked hard to put themselves in position to finally defeat the Warriors, a feat that should have been accomplished last year.

Fortunately, Houston will have the opportunity to rest before they face Golden State, as the Clippers shocked the NBA world and won a close Game 5 in Oracle Arena.

According to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen, the Rockets will fly to Oakland and watch the Warriors-Clippers game from the Bay Area and prepare to face Golden State on Sunday, should they defeat the Clippers on Friday. Of course, if the Clippers defend their home court and force a Game 7, the Rockets will wait until Tuesday to take on the Warriors, should Golden State win Game 7 at home.

If somehow the Clippers manage to pull off the most unlikely comeback in recent history and upset the Warriors in the first round, the Rockets will fly back to Houston for Game 1 at Toyota Center against Los Angeles.

In any scenario, Houston will have the advantage in rest and a head start on game preparation over their second round opponent.