05/04/25 11:48:00
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05/04 23:46 CDT Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield lead Warriors past Rockets 103-89
in Game 7
Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield lead Warriors past Rockets 103-89 in Game 7
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) --- Buddy Hield became an unlikely playoff hero for the Golden
State Warriors, leading the team early in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets
before Stephen Curry took over late.
Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Hield made nine
3-pointers and scored 33 points, and the Warriors advanced to the Western
Conference semifinals with a 103-89 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday
night.
"We were lucky to get out of this series," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.
"That was an incredibly impressive display of resolve."
The Warriors will face the Timberwolves Tuesday night in Minnesota.
After not scoring in Game 6, Hield had a scorching first half with six
3-pointers and 22 points to carry the Warriors to a 12-point lead, with Curry
scoring just three points before the break. Then Curry took over in the closing
minutes and performed his signature "night night" gesture as the Warriors put
the Rockets away.
"This was not just a lights-out shooting performance for Buddy," Kerr said. "It
was a two-way performance. I thought his defense was fantastic."
The Warriors became the seventh No. 7 seed in NBA history to advance to the
semifinals and eliminated Houston in the playoffs for a fifth time. They sent
the James Harden-led Rockets packing four times between 2015 and 2019.
None of the players from those teams remain with Houston, leading Fred VanVleet
to say before the series that "this ain't that team."
Draymond Green, who helped beat the Rockets in Game 7 in 2018 to advance to the
NBA Finals, mentioned VanVleet's quote before continuing.
"It's that organization though," he said. "We like coming to the city playing
in these situations. It's been good to us."
Hield was 9 of 11 from 3-point range, setting an NBA record for a Game 7 and
making more 3s than the Rockets, who were 6 of 18 from long range.
"Just trying to seize the moment and relish the moment and just be in the
moment at the same time," Hield said. "Just trying to be myself. But tonight
was fun."
Curry added 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Amen Thompson scored 24 points to lead Houston, which forced Game 7 with two
straight wins but couldn't put away the experienced Warriors.
"We had our chances in this series," Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. "We all
expected to continue to be playing, so it's a letdown. It's going to sting now,
but use it as motivation and let's all come back better."
Golden State led by eight entering the fourth and opened the quarter with a 5-0
run, capped by a 3 from Curry, to make it 75-62.
Houston scored the next six points, but the Warriors used a 7-2 spurt with four
points from Curry to make it 82-70 with about seven minutes left.
Curry made a contested 3, rebounded a missed jumper by Thompson and found Hield
for an open corner 3 that made it 94-74 with 2:31 remaining.
That sent many of the red-clad Rockets fans streaming for the exits.
Jimmy Butler added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the
Warriors, who improved to 28-11 since his debut on Feb. 8 after a trade from
Miami.
VanVleet scored a combined 55 points in the last two games to help Houston
extend the series. But he was limited to 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting Sunday
to send the second-seeded Rockets home early in their first trip to the
playoffs since 2020.
He was far from the only Rocket who struggled. Big man Alperen Sengun had 21
points and 14 rebounds. But he missed several easy shots on a 9-of-23 night.
Jalen Green, who had 38 points to lead Houston to a Game 2 win, finished with
eight points.
"First playoffs is no excuse," he said. "I've got to be better."
The Warriors played without key reserve Gary Payton II, who sat out with an
illness that coach Steve Kerr said had him "sick as a dog."
Draymond Green added 16 points for the Warriors, who had four starters score in
double figures.
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