Warriors crush Rockets to open NBA playoffs (AFP)

The streaking Golden State Warriors shook off an ankle injury to superstar Stephen Curry to thrash the Houston Rockets 104-78 on Saturday in their NBA Western Conference playoff opener. The reigning champion Warriors picked up where they left off in their record-setting 73-win regular-season campaign, bolting to a 33-15 lead through one quarter and carrying on relentlessly from there. Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Curry sent a tremor of tension through Oracle Arena when he twisted his right ankle defending Rockets star James Harden late in the second quarter.