Warriors Punch Ticket to Second Round with Thrilling Game 7 Win

The Golden State Warriors secured their spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs with a thrilling 103-89 Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets. Read more about the game's highlights.

Warriors Advance to Second Round

The Golden State Warriors secured their spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs with a decisive 103-89 Game 7 win over the Houston Rockets, bouncing back from two straight losses.

Conference Semi-Finals Underway

The conference semi-finals began Sunday, with the Indiana Pacers handing the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers a 121-112 defeat on Cleveland's home floor, adding to the day's playoff excitement.

Buddy Hield scored a game-high 33 points, including nine three-pointers on 11 attempts, in his 11th playoff game. Stephen Curry added 22 points, with 14 coming in the fourth quarter, helping the Warriors overcome a rocky stretch.

"“A lot of resilience,” Curry said. “Everybody stepping up. Everybody's been talking about our team the last two games in terms of our execution, our energy, all that. We blocked it all out and just understood we had 48 minutes to dig deep. Everybody contributed.”

“Buddy Hield was unbelievable,” Curry said, highlighting his teammate's standout performance. The Warriors now face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round.

WARRRRRRIORS

See you in the Western Conference Semifinals, #DubNation pic.twitter.com/LD8GWEzpE1

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 5, 2025

Curry's first basket was a three-pointer with 33.3 seconds left in the first half. However, Hield stole the show, making six three-pointers for 22 first-half points. Draymond Green added 10 points, helping the Warriors take a 51-39 halftime lead, which they extended to 15 before the Rockets mounted a comeback.

Despite Amen Thompson's 24 points and nine rebounds and Alperen Şengün's 21 points and 14 rebounds, the Rockets' poor three-point shooting (6 made) hindered their chances. The Warriors led 70-62 entering the fourth quarter and held on for a 103-89 victory.

Stephen Curry took over in the final frame, scoring five straight points to spark a Warriors run. Jimmy Butler contributed six points during a 12-0 spurt that pushed Golden State's lead to 20 points with 2:31 remaining.

Butler finished with 20 points, and Curry credited his mid-season acquisition from Miami as crucial to the team's playoff push. “For us to build chemistry on the fly and build trust on the fly and perform like we did in a game seven, it means the world,” Curry said. “So mission accomplished - step one.”