The Warriors and Rockets are set to meet in the opening round of the Western Conference finals, starting with Game 1 on Sunday, April 20 in Houston. Prior to meeting the Rockets, the Warriors will get four days off after securing a crucial win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament.

The next season James Harden demanded a trade and got it in January, sending the Rockets into a freefall to the basement of the NBA. After moving on from Harden, the Rockets traded or released most of their veterans and finished the 2020-21 season with an NBA-worst 17-55 record under first-year coach Stephen Silas.