Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney were part of the dynastic Warriors teams that beat Houston in four playoff series between 2015 and 2019. While Payton was not around for those storied series, he still has a tried and tested strategy for maintaining his cool if heated moments arise during the series.

The Rockets are a completely different team now, led by first-round draft picks Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun as well as breakout player Amen Thompson. The Warriors still have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, but are also led by trade-deadline acquisition Jimmy Butler, a Tomball native.

Green was the first draft pick of the Rockets' rebuild. He suffered through the franchise's lowest lows, and of late, he was responsible for many of their 2024-25 highs. The spotlight is now on Green. Can the former No. 2 pick deliver? Come through in the playoffs, and he could be a national star sooner than later.