Rockets were Warriors’ hardest test of playoffs

As the Warriors opened their sixth consecutive postseason — in pursuit of their fourth straight trip to the Finals — most observers were already looking a couple of weeks into the future. It was there, in the Western Conference finals, that Golden State was expected to face its toughest challenge, courtesy of the Houston Rockets. The Warriors did their part — experiencing only one-game hiccups in the first two rounds, eliminating the Spurs and Pelicans in five games apiece. The Rockets entered the conference finals riding a waving of confidence after winning a league-best 65 regular-season games and — like the Warriors — going 8-2 in the first two rounds.