Buddy Hield leads Warriors past Rockets in Game 7

Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) celebrates with forward Draymond Green during Game 7 of Golden State's series-clinching win over the Rockets on Sunday. | IMAGN photo

REUTERS
May 5, 2025

Buddy Hield scored 33 points, Stephen Curry tallied 19 of his 22 points in the second half and the Golden State Warriors rode a stifling defensive performance to a 103-89 road victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday and a 4-3 victory in their Western Conference first-round series.

The seventh-seeded Warriors advanced to play the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, with Game 1 set for Tuesday in Minneapolis. Their Game 7 win over the Rockets prevented the Warriors from blowing a 3-1 series lead and resulted in their fifth playoff series win over Houston since 2015.

Curry came alive when the Warriors needed him most, producing a driving layup and a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter that extended the Golden State lead to 75-62. Hield drilled a 3-pointer with 8:18 left for his first basket of the second half before Curry scored again for an 82-70 lead.