Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) is hugged by middle Alperen Sengun after the group’s victory over the Golden State Warriors in Recreation 6 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff collection Friday, Might 2, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photograph/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
SAN FRANCISCO — Fred VanVleet had 29 factors, eight assists and eight rebounds, Alperen Sengun contributed 21 factors and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets saved their season alive by beating the Golden State Warriors 115-107 on Friday night time and forcing a deciding Recreation 7 of their first-round playoff collection.
Golden State went chilly when it mattered most: The Warriors missed 13 straight pictures between Draymond Inexperienced’s basket with 10:12 left and a 3-pointer by Stephen Curry on the 3:35 mark.
Now, all people will get again on an airplane and head to Houston for Recreation 7 on Sunday for an opportunity to satisfy well-rested Minnesota within the Western Convention semifinals. That’s precisely what the Warriors had been hoping to keep away from with an opportunity to clinch at residence in Chase Middle.
READ: NBA: ‘Resilient’ Warriors goal to shut out Rockets in bruising collection
Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun powered Houston to a Recreation 6 win on the highway!
VanVleet: 29 PTS, 6 3PM, 8 AST, 8 REB
Sengun: 21 PTS, 14 REB, 6 AST, 3 STLHouston will now host Golden State for Recreation 7 at 8:30pm/et Sunday on TNT 🍿 pic.twitter.com/lQNxV0Ggcg
— NBA (@NBA) Might 3, 2025
Curry scored 29 factors however shot 9 of 23, going 6 for 16 from deep. Jimmy Butler added 27 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists.
VanVleet transformed a four-point play to begin the fourth quarter after the Warriors had pulled inside two with Curry’s flurry to finish the third. Jalen Inexperienced scored the following time down on a putback of his personal miss. Then, VanVleet’s 3 from the highest with 6:47 remaining put Houston up 101-89.
Curry’s driving layup with 39 seconds left within the third made it a four-point recreation, firing up the house crowd in vivid yellow playoff shirts with matching rally towels. He then made two free throws because the Warriors pulled inside 86-84.
However the Warriors couldn’t maintain it going. With a balanced effort on each ends — together with 17 factors and hustle performs by massive man Steven Adams off the bench — Houston had a solution almost each time Golden State threatened or made a giant play.
READ: NBA: Rockets keep away from elimination, rout Warriors in Recreation 5
The Warriors led 3-1 within the collection however fell behind in a rush in a 131-116 Recreation 5 loss Wednesday night time as Houston’s offense rolled after averaging 98 factors via the primary 4 video games of the collection.
VanVleet was good once more. He shot 7 for 13 from the ground after consecutive video games going 8 for 13, and he transformed all 9 of his free throws to place him at 21 for 27 over the previous three video games on the line.
Draymond Inexperienced handed Isiah Thomas (987) for fifteenth place on the NBA playoff assists listing and now has 992.
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Draymond Inexperienced picked up an offensive foul on the 8:53 mark of the primary quarter for shoving Jalen Inexperienced. The play went to evaluation and the foul was decided to be a flagrant-1. However after two straight video games with dustups, each groups stayed poised.
The Warriors dropped to 27-11 since Butler’s debut on Feb. 8 following his commerce from Miami.
