With a shiny NBA Cup court as the backdrop, the Houston Rockets get their first shot at revenge against last year's playoff antagonist when they visit the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in San Francisco.

There will be no Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, Al Horford and possibly Draymond Green when the Rockets (11-4) and Warriors (10-9) -- currently tied for last place in West Group C with 1-2 records -- duel in what likely will be their Cup finale as the game almost surely will have no bearing on which team or teams from the quintet will advance.

When last seen in San Francisco, the Rockets rode 29 points from VanVleet and a combined 38 points and 19 rebounds from big men Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams to a 115-107 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference first round, a triumph that

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