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Kerr doesn't buy into Rockets' hunger edge over Warriors: 'Our guys have rings'

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Led by two veteran superstars desperate to win their first championship, does the Houston Rockets' hunger give them an advantage over the Golden State Warriors?

Warriors coach Steve Kerr doesn't think so.

"No, I like where we are," he said, as quoted by Bay Area News Group's Melissa Rohlin. "Our guys have rings. That's a good position to be in. To me, the hardest championship is the first one, as an individual player and as a team, because you don't know - you don't quite know if you can do it.

"Once you get the first one, there's a little bit of house money. But you want it again because it's an unbelievable feeling. I like our position. We're going to go in here knowing we're the defending champs, knowing we have a couple of championships here the last few years. Lets go get another one."

Kerr has guided Golden State to three straight NBA Finals, winning it all in 2015 and 2017. The 52-year-old also won three titles as a player with the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs. The defending champion Warriors "coasted" their way to 58 wins during the regular season and a second-place finish.

They'll start the Western Conference finals away from the friendly confines of Oracle Arena and in Houston's house after the Rockets posted a 65-17 record to secure the No. 1 seed. MVP front-runner James Harden and Chris Paul have been on a mission to get their hands on the Larry O'Brien trophy after failing in the previous eight and 12 seasons, respectively.

Related: Why not Houston? The Rockets are built to hang with the Warriors and win

Harden expressed optimism that "this is the year" it finally happens for him and the Rockets, who have been wholly consumed with toppling the Dubs. Houston has been the team to beat for the bulk of the campaign and rank No. 1 in postseason offensive rating, while the Warriors look locked in and boast the best defensive rating of the playoffs.

Warriors guard Klay Thompson insists the Rockets aren't the only ones who are determined to reign supreme.

"We definitely expect to win a championship this year," the sharpshooter said.

"That puts a lot of pressure. I'm sure they feel the same way. Their fan base is itching for a championship. Our fan base is itching for a continuous ride. ... We're just as hungry as we were last year and the year before that."

Game 1 tips off Monday at 9 p.m. ET at Toyota Center.

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