SAN FRANCISCO - The Golden State Warriors led 3-1 in the first round playoff series with a dirty victory over the Houston Rockets 109-106 Monday night. With Brandin Podziemski like a seasoned veteran and Jimmy Butler at the most critical moment in the game, the Warriors have now won a victory from advancing to the Western Conference semifinals.

Jimmy Butler saved for a day

Jimmy Butler stepped forward when the Warriors needed someone to close Houston's goal - the pelvis and everyone was injured. After a slow start of the first half with 9 and 3 attempts, Robin recovered 23 points in the second half, including a stressful 14 in the fourth quarter. But it was his last scene that blocked the victory and reminded everyone why he was one of the league’s most dedicated performers.

advertise

With Golden State's lead and 10 seconds left, Alperenşengün missed the baby hook in the paint on Draymond Green, and Butler skipped the seemingly Giants to lower the key rebound, fouling in the process.

A moment later, as Chase Center held its breath, Butler stood calmly on the free throw line, but Butler sank two shots, extending the lead to three shots. It's an exclamation mark on a night full of clutch drama, Fred van Vleet's lack of despair on the buzzer.

"Jimmy really took us away for the fourth time," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "If it was the regular season, he might have missed another week or two. But that was the playoffs, he was Jimmy Butler."

advertise

Obviously, Butler wasn't 100% cringing late in the game, but his tenacity went beyond the statistics table. After missing Game 3, Butler refused to back down when the game became tense, a heartbeat that kept Golden State alive in a chaotic game.

Podziemski's Pro Night - The Warriors' Latest Unsung Heroes

Brandin Podziemski was the move to keep the lights all night long when Butler finished the show. The sophomore broke out with a career-high 26 points and scored a goal after keeping the Warriors at a staggering distance during the Houston Trend.

"He has almost been bright since he returned from injury," Draymond Green said.

advertise

Starting at 10 points in the first quarter and at 8 in the second quarter, Podziemski entered the second half with something green marked as "irrational confidence" making the Warriors the leading scorer. His string of jumpers and timely 3s cancelled the Warriors in a 18-1 run, which spanned a huge stability in the second and third quarters as Green deals with foul troubles while Stephen Curry faces huge defensive pressure.

"Blanding is a big player. A two-year-old (Guy), he's like a ten-year-old guy."

Podziemski looks like the future warrior fans hope he can be. But, under the playoff lights, this future quickly became the present. Podziemski scored 26 points (18 fg, 6-11 3pt, 5-5 feet) with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 40 minutes of blocks.

The Rockets' adjustments are not enough

Free throws remain the Rockets' deadly heels as they missed at least 10 free throws in successive road games. As this game falls on the wires, the difference (19 out of 31 to 19) is the difference. Life in Houston has been tough on this road trip, but at least there are signs of life from Alperen, Fred Van Vleet and Amen Thompson. The three made up 73 of the Rockets' 106 points.

advertise

Jalen Green can't say the same thing. It was indeed a low light that Buddy Hield had twice torn by Buddy Hield. His outstanding performance led to the Rockets' big move, and this adjustment may be worth further exploration in Game 5. The Rockets did their best to make up for this game - technology, melee and almost quarrel. The Rockets tried to impose their bodies throughout the first half.

It continued into the third quarter, with IME Udoka moving towards a larger roster, which included the FVV-Brooks-Smith Jr.-Is-sengün-Adams lineup, a squad rarely used before Game 4. Houston used a nine-minute lineup in the third quarter, ending with +11 in the third quarter. The unit also allows Houston to pack paint and ruthlessly attack the edge. Steven Adams' match ended with a 27-minute match ending with a plus of +16.

Starting from the mid-third quarter performance, it was clear that the Rockets were looking to get a higher percentage near the edge, especially when Draymond Green made five fouls. Amen Thompson became aggressive, down with eight out of 17 in the fourth quarter. Guan Li's 31 points were between 0-4 feet.

advertise

"They made a lot of adjustments tonight, playing the doubles and playing less green," Kerr said.

Worked most of the second half of the year, as Houston was higher at night than the Golden State, punishing them in paint 48 to 28. However, the downside is that they can't completely leave the dubbing. Thanks to Adams, they adjusted the larger area defense, leaving the circumference vulnerability. Although Curry was limited to 3-for-7 shooting percentage in the second half, Podziemski and Hield were 12-12 in the final two frames.

The stunning 2025 playoff trend that didn't even reach 100 points in 2025, saving the Rockets' fate with a record of 25-2.

advertise

Better performing. Vanvleet provides much-needed offensive spark. They shot more than all series (49.4%). They make the curry look deadly. What else can I do?

Looking to the future

Now, the Rockets return home, with their backs leaning against the wall, looking for something to keep their season alive. Kerr's roster decisions (such as inserting Hield into the starting lineup in Game 4) have paid off. Will IME UDOKA stay or consider using a larger lineup? Besides gun, who else can create your own shot? Game 5 is an opportunity for the Warriors to reach a deal and keep moving forward with newfound momentum and potentially highly anticipated R&R.