Golden State Warriors Take Game 7; Advance To Second Round Of NBA Playoffs
The Golden State Warriors traveled to the Toyota Center on Sunday night for a chance to move on in the NBA playoffs. In recent years, Golden State has had its fair share of wins against the Houston Rockets. Well, on Sunday night, their winning streak continued as they beat the Rockets by a score of 103-86.
Different players stepped up for the Warriors off the bench. Buddy Hield had the best game of his career, and it came at the perfect time as he put up 33 points. That was a huge turning point that gave Golden State the spark it needed to advance and move on.
Golden State Warriors Forward Buddy Hield Shines In Game 7
It took the Golden State Warriors veterans some time to get going on the offensive end. Heading into the second half, Hield scored 22 points before halftime as the Warriors held a 12-point lead going into the third quarter. Warriors star Guard Stephen Curry finished with 22 points, 10 boards, and 7 assists. Most of his points were scored in the second half.
Hield continued his impressive performance and tied the NBA Playoff record, making nine threes and being the leading scorer on offense for Golden State with 33 points on 12-of-15 field goals made. Hield seemed to be unstoppable from the perimeter, despite having a slow start to the second half.
Jimmy Butler added to the team’s scoring outburst with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. The defense was the key down the stretch as the Warriors limited the Houston Rockets’ young stars in Alperen Segun and Amen Thompson.
Houston Rockets Season Comes To a Close
After becoming the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, Houston did not have enough firepower to overcome the experience of the Golden State Warriors. One promising factor for the Rockets is their talented young roster.
Amen Thompson scored 24 points, slightly ahead of Sengun, who finished with 21 points. The future is in the balance for the Houston Rockets as they will be looking to bring on another scoring threat for the 2025-26 basketball season. Overall, the presence of Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks should have boosted the younger guys’ confidence during the season.
Golden State Warriors Next Matchup
Now that the Golden State Warriors have advanced to the second round, it will not get any easier. On Tuesday, they will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1. NBA fans know about the firepower that the Timberwolves possess in having their star guard, Anthony Edwards, leading the way. Power Forward Julius Randle has improved his skillset over the last several years.
Randle can shoot from the outside when given the space to do so. Veteran Guard Mike Conley provides great defensive aggression off the bench for their squad. The matchup will be one to watch as the Warriors will be on the road to start the second round of play. Each player will have to match the same energy and intensity as their opponent in the next series.
