Rockets Eliminated by Warriors in Game 7 Playoff Collapse/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Houston Rockets’ playoff hopes ended with a disappointing 103–89 Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Despite rallying to force a decisive game after trailing 3-1 in the series, Houston fell flat in the finale. Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield powered the Warriors, while key Rockets struggled offensively, ending Houston’s promising season abruptly.
The Houston Rockets’ return to playoff basketball ended in heartbreak Sunday night as they were ousted by the Golden State Warriors in a 103–89 Game 7 loss. After clawing their way back from a 3-1 deficit in the series, Houston looked poised for a breakthrough. Instead, they delivered their weakest performance when it mattered most.
The Warriors, a seventh seed with deep postseason experience, proved too much. Stephen Curry came alive in the fourth quarter with 14 of his 22 points, while Buddy Hield stole the show with a historic performance — draining 9-of-11 from beyond the arc and finishing with 33 points. Hield’s nine 3-pointers set a new NBA record for most in a Game 7, and his shooting alone outpaced Houston’s total from deep.
After a tight first quarter, the Rockets never led again. Curry and Hield took control in the second half, silencing the home crowd and sending the red-clad fans to the exits before the final buzzer.
Despite Fred VanVleet’s heroics in Games 5 and 6 — where he scored a combined 55 points — he managed only 17 in the finale, going 6-of-13 from the field. Houston’s offense stalled under pressure, as the team shot just 6-of-18 from long range and lacked the spark seen earlier in the series.
Center Alperen Sengun posted a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds but was inefficient, missing several close-range attempts and finishing 9-of-23. Still, the Turkish big man saw positives in the team’s growth this season.
Jalen Greenwho had shown flashes of star power earlier in the series — including a 38-point effort in Game 2 — struggled in Game 7, scoring just 8 points. It was his fourth single-digit scoring game of the series.
VanVleet defended his younger teammate amid growing criticism.
The Rockets finish the season with a 52–30 record and the No. 2 seed in the West — a significant turnaround from their 22-win campaign in 2022–23. It marked their first playoff appearance since 2020 and signaled a franchise moving in the right direction.
But the sting of Sunday’s defeat will linger. For a franchise with high expectations, the early exit underscores the work still ahead for a young, talented team that must now transition from promising to proven.
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