NBA: Warriors Eliminate the Rockets in Game 7

The Golden State Warriors are headed to the Western Conference Semifinals after defeating the Houston Rockets 103-89 in a decisive Game 7. This heart-pounding clash between the two teams happened Sunday at the Toyota Center in Houston. With the win, the Warriors claimed the series 4-3, avoided a historic collapse after leading 3-1, and notched their fifth playoff series win over Houston since 2015.

Buddy Hield delivered a playoff performance for the ages. He finished with a career-high 33 points and tied an NBA Game 7 record by hitting nine three-pointers. Hield carried the Warriors in the first half while Stephen Curry struggled to find his rhythm. Curry had just three points by halftime, not scoring his first field goal until the final 33 seconds of the second quarter.

Still, Hield’s shooting gave the Warriors the spark they needed. He scored 22 points by halftime, hitting six of his seven threes. His contributions include a stunning 42-foot buzzer-beater to end the first quarter. That shot gave Golden State a 23-19 lead. A strong second quarter followed, highlighted by a 16-2 Warriors run that pushed the lead to 51-39 at the break.

Houston wasn’t going down without a fight. The Rockets opened the third quarter with a 14-4 run, slicing into the lead. Jabari Smith Jr.’s three-pointer made it a one-possession game, and the home crowd came alive. At that point, Hield had gone cold, attempting only one shot and failing to score in the third quarter. But just when things looked shaky, the Warriors responded with a 7-2 burst to end the period and restore an eight-point cushion heading into the fourth.

That’s when Stephen Curry took over. After a quiet first half, the two-time MVP came alive, scoring 19 of his 22 points in the second half. He started the fourth quarter with a personal 5-0 run. First, the 37-year-old did a driving layup. After that, he did a step-back three, stretching the lead to 75-62. From there, Golden State never looked back.

With 8:18 remaining, Hield hit his first basket of the second half, another three-pointer that pushed the lead to 82-70 after a Curry score. The Warriors then went on a game-sealing 12-0 run, capped by another deep Hield three. This move extends the lead to 94-74 with 2:31 left. Curry punctuated the moment with his signature “night night” gesture as the Warriors closed the game in style.

Strong performances across the board powered the win. Hield finished with 33 points on 12-of-15 shooting, including 9-of-11 from deep. Curry had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, with 14 of those points coming in the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Draymond Green added 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks.

The Warriors were deadly from long range, hitting 18-of-43 threes and outscoring the Rockets by 36 points from beyond the arc. Their bench, however, was quiet, scoring just three points total. Kevon Looney had those, while Gary Payton II missed the game due to illness, with Coach Steve Kerr saying he was “sick as a dog.” Since acquiring Butler in February, Golden State has now gone 28-11.

On the other side, the Rockets were led by Amen Thompson, who scored 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting and grabbed 9 rebounds. Alperen Şengün added 21 points and 14 rebounds but struggled with efficiency, going just 9-for-23 from the field. Fred VanVleet had 17 points but couldn’t replicate his Game 5 and 6 explosions. Jalen Green scored just eight points as the team failed to find consistent scoring outside their top three. Houston shot 40.5% from the field and went 6-of-18 from three-point range, which was three fewer makes than Hield had by himself.

With the win, the Warriors became only the seventh No. 7 seed in NBA history to reach the conference semifinals. Their next challenge will be the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who advanced by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Game 1 of that series is set for Tuesday, May 6, in Minneapolis.

Golden State’s playoff experience and timely shot-making made the difference in a high-pressure Game 7. And with Curry heating up and Hield showing he can be a big-game scorer, the Warriors look ready for the next round.

Golden State Warriors vs Houston Rockets Stats

Final Score: Warriors 103 – Rockets 89
Quarter Scores: 23–19, 51–39, 70–62, 103–89

Golden State Warriors: Hield 33, Curry 22, Butler 20, Green 16, Looney 3, Kuminga 0, Moody 0, Podziemski 0, TJD 0, Joseph 0
Houston Rockets: Thompson 24, Şengün 21, VanVleet 17, Green 8, Smith Jr. 7, Whitmore 6, Brooks 4, Eason 2, Holiday 0, Jeff Green 0