Eason reveals ‘hatred’ for Warriors after Rockets overtime loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors’ dominance over the Rockets over the past decade has been well documented, but it appears the one-sided rivalry is taking its toll on one of Houston’s star players.
Golden State staved off a brutal second-half comeback in Saturday’s 127-121 overtime victory over the Rockets at Toyota Center. Houston big man Tari Eason revealed that the Rockets’ post-halftime surge is fueled by Houston’s disdain for the Warriors.
“I don’t like the Warriors,” Eason told reporters after Saturday’s game. “I just want to win, it’s really nothing bigger than that.”
Eason played his part despite the Rockets falling short again against the Warriors, recording 27 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks for the losing side in Golden State’s overtime victory.
This isn’t the first time Eason’s tension with the Warriors has been visible, as the 23-year-old made waves after taunting Golden State towards the end of the 2023-24 NBA season. Eason referenced the 1979 movie “The Warriors” and posted a famous line from the movie to his Instagram account as Houston closed in on Golden State in the Western Conference standings.
As has become tradition, the Warriors got the last laugh against the Rockets, with Steph Curry delivering the knockout blow with his own tribute to the classic film following Golden State’s 133-110 win over Houston, a week after comments from Eason.
While the Warriors’ continued control over the Rockets predates Eason’s time in the NBA, the Houston forward’s frustration is understandable as he has never won a game against Golden State and has fallen to 0-6 in his career after Saturday’s defeat.
The Warriors have won fourteen straight regular-season matchups with the Rockets, also knocking Houston out of the playoffs in every postseason meeting between the two teams, coming all four since 2015.
Simply put, Saturday was another predictable result in a one-sided rivalry. However, this chapter coincidentally erases a career night for Eason, who has yet to enjoy the spoils of the win against Golden State.
Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast
