Injured superstar Steph Curry was out, but it did not matter with Andrew Bogut and the rest of the Golden State Warriors ruthlessly knocking the Houston Rockets out of the NBA Playoffs.
The Warriors were never challenged.
They jumped to an 8-0 lead in the opening minutes, were up 59-37 at halftime and eventually put the Rockets out of their misery with a 114-81 win on their home court in Oakland on Wednesday.
It gave the defending NBA champions a 4-1 first-round series victory.
The Warriors will take on the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers-Portland Trail Blazers series in the Western Conference semi-finals.
The Trail Blazers lead 3-2.
"It was a total team effort tonight and that is what we are going to have to do with our MVP out," Klay Thompson, who led the Warriors with 27 points, said.
"It is going to be a collective effort every night."
The Rockets were expected to challenge the Warriors with All-Star Curry ruled out with a sprained right knee and not expected back on the court for two weeks.
Rockets veteran Jason Terry boldly guaranteed a victory before the game, a boast that drew raised eyebrows from Melbourne-born Bogut and Warriors guard Klay Thompson.
The Warriors fulfilled the call for a collective effort, with 12 players scoring.
Thompson hit the first of his seven three-pointers 30 seconds into the game while Warriors forward Draymond Green had what has become a typical monster game with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Coach Steve Kerr slotted Shaun Livingston from the bench into Curry's vacant starting spot and the veteran who has overcome his own serious injuries was outstanding with 16 points on 7-8 shooting.
Bogut had four points, five rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots but struggled again with early fouls, picking up his fourth midway through the third quarter.
The Warriors shot an impressive 55 per cent from the field and 42 per cent from behind the three point line, while the Rockets struggled with 32 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
The Rockets were led by guard James Harden's 35 points while Bogut's foe, Rockets centre Dwight Howard, had eight points and 21 rebounds.
They received little help from their teammates, including Terry who was scoreless.
In the Eastern Conference, the Charlotte Hornets took a 3-2 lead in their series against the Miami Heat with an upset 90-88 win in Miami.
The Trail Blazers also took control of their series with a 108-98 victory in Los Angeles, taking advantage of the injury-ravaged Clippers.
The Clippers likely lost their two All-Stars, point guard Chris Paul and power forward Blake Griffin, for the season in Monday's game-four loss.
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