The Houston Rockets are still alive.
Behind a clutch performance from Fred VanVleet and a dominant team effort, Houston defeated the Golden State Warriors 115-107 Friday night to force a winner-takes-all Game 7 in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
VanVleet Leads with Poise and Power
Fred VanVleet delivered when it counted most, finishing with 29 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. His four-point play to open the fourth quarter flipped momentum back to Houston after Stephen Curry’s late-third-quarter surge had cut the Rockets’ lead to two.
VanVleet followed with a dagger three-pointer to put the Rockets up 101-89, and Houston never looked back.
Golden State Goes Cold
The Warriors, who once led the series 3-1, struggled to find rhythm when it mattered most. They missed 13 straight shots in the fourth quarter, going scoreless for nearly seven minutes as Houston’s defense tightened.
Curry led Golden State with 29 points but shot just 9-for-23 from the field and 6-for-16 from three. Jimmy Butler added 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the loss.
Balanced Rockets Answer Every Run
Alperen Sengun added 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Steven Adams came off the bench to provide energy and 17 crucial points. Jalen Green also chipped in with key hustle plays, including a putback off his own miss that extended the lead early in the fourth.
“It was a mantra going into the series: play through everything,” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said, according to AP News. Now 5-1 when facing elimination, Udoka credited his team’s composure and physicality for the win.
Game 7 Bound for Houston
The Rockets’ Game 5 win reignited the series, and now the momentum is squarely on their side heading into Sunday’s Game 7 at home. The winner will meet a well-rested Minnesota Timberwolves team in the Western Conference semifinals.
Golden State, previously hoping to close out the series on home court, must now regroup for what could be the final game of their postseason.
“We can’t give up a four-point play in a two-point game,” said Draymond Green, frustrated by missed opportunities and defensive lapses.
Game 7 tips off Sunday in Houston at 7:30 p.m.
Keep up with Houston Rockets’ climb to the top with us on Que Onda Magazine.