Houston Rockets

Brandon Jennings says Rockets are ‘cooked’ vs. Warriors: ‘They not ready yet’

Published by
Jesse Cinquini

The Houston Rockets are in the playoffs for the first time in years, but they didn’t exactly start their stint in the 2025 NBA Playoffs on a high note. The team lost Game 1 of its first-round series against the Golden State Warriors at home on Sunday by 10 points and had a particularly woeful performance offensively.

Houston mustered just 85 points in the contest and shot only 39.1 percent from the field and 20.7 percent from 3-point range. Big man Alperen Sengun had it going from a scoring standpoint, as he totaled 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor, but no other player on the Rockets scored more than 11.

Former NBA point guard Brandon Jennings seemingly isn’t bullish on Houston’s chances against the Warriors, as he wrote in an X post on Sunday night that the Rockets are “cooked.”

The contrast in playoff experience between Houston’s and Golden State’s cores was apparent in Game 1.

Rockets youngsters like Jalen Green and Amen Thompson played their first playoff games at the NBA level and looked out of sorts.

Green averaged 20-plus points per game for Houston in the 2024-25 regular season, yet he mustered just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting in Game 1 against the Warriors. Thompson wasn’t that much better from a scoring standpoint, as he dropped eight points in what was his lowest scoring output in some time.

While some of Houston’s key players struggled, Golden State’s veteran stars — like Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler — balled out.

Butler lived up to his reputation as an impressive playoff performer in his playoff debut as a Warrior, as he accumulated 25 points along with seven rebounds, six assists and five steals. Curry and Butler accounted for a whopping 56 points scored between the two of them.

Whether or not Jennings’ assertion that the Rockets are “cooked” versus Golden State is accurate could depend on how the next game in the best-of-seven series pans out.

Houston will have a shot to even up the series with a win in Game 2 on Wednesday night, but if the Rockets want to win their first playoff game in a long time, the likes of Green and Thompson will probably need to play better.

Jesse Cinquini

Jesse is an aspiring sports journalist that has previously worked as a staff writer at SB Nation’s CelticsBlog and The Knicks Wall.

Published by
Jesse Cinquini

Recent Posts

Sources: Bucks brass now regrets firing Adrian Griffin and hiring Doc Rivers

If the Milwaukee Bucks could go back in time and not fire Adrian Griffin for…

3 weeks ago

Sources: Some members of Rockets regret Kevin Durant trade

Some members of the Houston Rockets regret trading for Kevin Durant last offseason, sources told…

1 month ago

Sources: Milwaukee Bucks expected to pursue trade for Kawhi Leonard this offseason

The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to pursue a trade for Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi…

2 months ago

Maxx Crosby says winning is all that matters to him: ‘I want to win more than anything on this planet’

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby only cares about winning. The five-time Pro Bowler…

2 months ago

Terron Armstead says the 2023 Dolphins were a ‘Super Bowl team’ if healthy

The Miami Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game in more than two decades, but former…

2 months ago

NBA coach who’s worked with Kevin Durant: ‘It’s like he is unhappy all the time’

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has been the subject of allegations related to a burner…

2 months ago