Curry Heats Up as Warriors Beat Rockets

Stephing it up!

Playoff Steph delivered while Playoff Jimmy became his biggest cheerleader on the bench, donning a full-length fur coat.

Stephen Curry was one of one in the Golden State Warriors’ 104-93 win over the Houston Rockets at home at the Chase Center on Saturday, leading the team to a 2-1 series lead without Jimmy Butler III.

“You’ve got one task,” Curry said of the team coming together with Butler out. “Hopefully he’s back next game, or if he’s not we can still play at a high level, we can win a tough, physical playoff game. I think we all know we’re trying to win 14 more of these. We need Jimmy to do that.”

Curry did everything, finishing with 36 points, seven rebounds and nine assists while shooting 12-of-23 from the field. Buddy Hield added 17 points off the bench, hitting 5-of-11 from 3-point range. Gary Payton II contributed with 16 points and Brandin Podziemski added 10.

“To play 41 minutes against that kind of defense, to have a slow start and then find his rhythm, which we have seen him do countless times over the years, to hit big shots, to only turn it over twice against that kind of pressure, he was brilliant,” coach Steve Kerr said.

On the Rockets’ side of things, Fred VanVleet posted 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting, with Dillon Brooks adding 13 and Jalen Green finishing with nine, after scoring 38 in Game 2.

With the win, the Warriors now leads the Western Conference first-round series. Curry’s performance energized and brought the sellout to their feet as he carried the team to victory.

Butler was sidelined during Golden State’s Game 2 loss to the Rockets and was officially ruled out on Saturday with a deep glute muscle contusion, according to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania.

“To see everyone step up in his absence was huge,” Draymond Green said.

Podziemski got off to a hot start for the Warriors, drilling a jump shot and a 26-footer to snag a quick five points. Meanwhile, Golden State’s starters struggled, with Green, Curry and Jonathan Kuminga combining for just four points as the Rockets took a 22-18 lead into the second quarter.

Both teams got off to a sluggish start in the second quarter, with Green and VanVleet both going scoreless for the Rockets.

A powerful and-one finish from Green finally got him on the board for the Warriors. Curry picked up the pace, scoring 13 points in the second while shooting 4-of-7 from the field. Hield found his rhythm as well, finishing the half with 11 points as the Warriors went on a 9-0 run to close the quarter, trailing by three at the break 49-46.

“I thought the key to the game was the way we closed the second quarter,” Kerr said.

Out of halftime, Curry caught fire NBA Jam, scoring 12 points in the third quarter, highlighted by an impressive side-step three-pointer. He shot 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

The Rockets’ starters struggled, as Brooks, VanVleet and Green combined for just five points between them. Despite the struggles, Houston held a tenuous 71-69 lead heading into the fourth.

Green, Moses Moody, Curry and Hield all made baskets as the Warriors moved and shared the ball on offense. Payton resembled his father out there on the court, Hall of Famer Gary Payton Sr. and went on a nine-point scoring run to give Golden State a six-point lead, followed by a dagger three-pointer by Curry.

Clutch points from Podziemski and strong defense from Green sealed the win, with Curry’s nearly automatic free throws capping off the Game 3 victory.

Golden State will look to take Game 4 on Monday at home, aiming for a potential 3-1 lead in the series.