The Houston Rockets’ playoff run came to an end in a 103-89 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the Western Conference first-round series.
Despite a double-double performance from Alperen Şengün, who posted 21 points and 14 rebounds, the Rockets were unable to overcome the Warriors’ offensive firepower.
Şengün played nearly 40 minutes, contributing 21 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block.
His efforts, however, were not enough to stop a scorching Buddy Hield, who led the Warriors with 33 points, including an NBA-record nine 3-pointers in a Game 7.
Hield’s dominant first half, where he scored 22 points, set the tone for Golden State’s early advantage.
Stephen Curry, who had struggled in the first half, came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of his 22 points and adding 10 rebounds and seven assists.
His clutch shots, including a pivotal 3-pointer and a pair of key assists to Hield, sealed the game for the Warriors.
Rockets fall short despite strong efforts
Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Fred VanVleet added 17 points and seven rebounds.
Despite cutting the Warriors’ lead to eight early in the fourth, Houston’s shooting struggles, particularly from the 3-point line, proved costly.
The Rockets finished just six of 18 from deep, compared to Golden State’s 14 of 26.
“We had our chances in this series,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka. “It’s going to sting now, but we’ll use it as motivation to come back better.”
Warriors’ resilience on point
The Warriors, who eliminated Houston for the fifth time in the playoffs, advanced to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round. Golden State’s dominant performance, led by Hield’s historic shooting and Curry’s late-game heroics, sent the Rockets packing in their first playoff appearance since 2020.
Pacers take early eastern lead
In other playoff action, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-112 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton combined for 45 points and 19 assists to give the Pacers a 1-0 lead in the series.
Despite Donovan Mitchell’s 33 points for Cleveland, the Cavaliers couldn’t find enough defensive stops to stave off Indiana’s balanced attack.