Curry and Hield Power Warriors Past Rockets in Game 7 Win/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Buddy Hield’s record-setting night and Stephen Curry’s fourth-quarter surge lifted the Golden State Warriors to a 103-89 Game 7 victory over the Houston Rockets. Hield knocked down nine 3-pointers and scored 33 points, while Curry added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Golden State advances to face Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Golden State Warriors leaned on the lethal combination of a red-hot Buddy Hield and a clutch Stephen Curry to overcome the Houston Rockets 103–89 in a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night, clinching a spot in the Western Conference semifinals.
Buddy Hieldafter going scoreless in Game 6, turned in a career-defining performance by knocking down nine 3-pointers en route to 33 points, setting an NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a Game 7. The long-range barrage stunned the Houston crowd at Toyota Center and built the foundation for Golden State’s series-clinching win.
Hield’s electric first half, in which he drained six threes for 22 points, helped the Warriors take control early and build a 12-point lead by halftime. Curry, meanwhile, started slowly with just three first-half points, but came alive in the fourth quarter, pouring in 14 of his 22 points to seal the win.
With the Rockets clawing back early in the final period, Curry answered with a step-back 3-pointer and followed it up with key rebounds and assists — including a kick-out to Hield for a corner triple that pushed the Warriors’ lead to 20 with under three minutes left.
That dagger three prompted a stream of red-clad Rockets fans to head for the exits as Curry performed his now-iconic “night night” celebration, a fitting end to a veteran-led performance in hostile territory.
Curry finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assistswhile Jimmy Butler added 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assistscontinuing his impressive run since joining the Warriors in a February trade. Draymond Green contributed 16 pointsembracing the rivalry atmosphere and referencing Houston’s playoff history with Golden State.
The Warriors, now 28–11 since Butler’s arrival, became just the seventh No. 7 seed in NBA history to reach the conference semifinals. They’ll now face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.
For Houstonthe loss was a painful end to a promising season. Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 24 pointsbut the rest of the team struggled to match Golden State’s poise and perimeter shooting. VanVleet, who scored 55 points across Games 5 and 6was held to just 17 on 6-of-13 shooting.
Alperen Sengun added 21 points and 14 reboundsbut shot just 9-of-23, missing several inside opportunities as the Rockets struggled to close the gap in the second half.
Rockets coach Ime Udoka expressed disappointment. “We had our chances. This one’s going to sting. But we’ll use it as motivation moving forward.”
The Warriors, meanwhile, proved once again that experience, depth, and elite shooting win in the postseason. And on a night when a new playoff hero emerged in Buddy Hield, the Warriors reminded the league that they’re not going anywhere just yet.
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