Buddy Hield, Stephen Curry helps fighters in game 7

HOSTON – Friend Buddy Hield became an impossible playoff hero for the Golden State Warriors, leading the team in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets before Stephen Curry took over the late stage.

Curry scored 14 of 22 points in the fourth quarter, Hield scored nine 3-pointers and scored 33 points, and the Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals by defeating the Houston Rockets 103-89 on Sunday night.

“We were lucky enough to get out of this series,” said Golden State coach Steve Kerr. “It was an impressive determination.”

The Warriors will face the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Tuesday night.

After not scoring in Game 6, Hield had 6 points and 22 points in the first half, giving the Warriors a 12-point lead, with Curry only three points before the break. Curry then took over the game in the closing ceremony and made the iconic “night” gesture as the Warriors bounced the Rockets away.

“It's not just a light shooting show by friends,” Kerr said. “It's a two-way show. I think his defense is great.”

The Warriors became the seventh seed in NBA history, advanced to the semifinals and eliminated Houston in the playoffs. They sent James Harden-led rockets four times between 2015 and 2019.

None of these teams stayed in Houston, and Fred Vanvleet said before the series, “This is not that team.”

Draymond Green, who beat the Rockets to the NBA Finals in Game 7 in 2018, mentioned Vanvleet's quote before continuing.

“It's the organization, though,” he said. “We like to play in cities in these situations. It's a good thing for us.”

Hield's three-point shooting percentage was 9 of 11, setting an NBA record for Game 7, hitting the Rockets in three seconds from a long distance of 18.

“Just trying to grab this moment and enjoy this moment, just at the same moment,” Hilder said. “Just want to be yourself. But it's fun tonight.”

Curry added 10 rebounds and 7 assists.

Amen Thompson scored 24 points, leading Houtton, who forced Game 7 with two straight wins but couldn't abandon the experienced fighters.

“We have a chance in this series,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “We all want to keep playing, so it's a disappointment. It's going to sting now, but use it as motivation and let's come back better.”

Golden State entered the fourth with eight-pointers and opened the quarter with a 5-0 run, covered by Curry's 3 to a score of 75-62.

Houston scored the next six points, but the Warriors broke through four points from Curry at 7-2, with about seven minutes left.

Curry competed three times, Thompson bounced back on a missed jump shot and found a 3-point open-air corner for Hield, leaving 2:31 to score 94-74.

This has caused many Rocket fans to flow to the exit.

Jimmy Butler added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to the Warriors, which has improved to 28-11 since his debut on February 8 after a trade from Miami on February 8.

Vanvleet has scored a total of 55 points in the last two games to help Houston expand the series. But he was limited to 17 points on Sunday's 13 shots, sending the Rockets home in his first playoffs since 2020.

He stays away from the only struggling Rockets. Big man Alperen Sengun scored 21 points and 14 rebounds. But he missed a few simple photos over 23 nights.

Jalen Green scored 38 points and led Houston to his second victory, with eight points.

“The first playoffs is not an excuse,” he said. “I have to get better.”

The Warriors have no key reserves Gary Payton II, whose illness sits there, Steve Kerr says he is “sick”.

Draymond Green added 16 points for the Warriors, who scored four starters in double digits.