The Houston Rockets get an opportunity to turn a winning trip into a remarkable one when they face the Golden State Warriors on Friday night in San Francisco.
The Rockets left home nine days ago with the worst record in the Western Conference but have since won three of four, beating the San Antonio Spurs and Utah Jazz to sandwich a two-game split with the Sacramento Kings.
A win over the Warriors would send them home 4-1.
For a team on an extended trip, the Rockets enter Friday’s trip finale far more rested than the hosts. While Houston has played just once since Sunday, prevailing in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the Warriors were taken to overtime on Thursday night in a 121-117 home loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The teams met once previously this season, with the Warriors riding 25 points from Jordan Poole and 20 from Stephen Curry to a 120-107 home win on Nov. 7.
The Rockets played that night without Garrison Mathews, who has exploded out of nowhere since late November to help Houston…