Stephen Curry delivered a masterful performance to kick off the Golden State Warriors’ play-off campaign, scoring a game-high 31 points in their 95-85 victory over the Houston Rockets.
The seventh-seeded Warriors claimed a 1-0 series lead, marking their second consecutive win in Houston.
Curry, the focal point of Golden State’s offense, also contributed six rebounds and three assists in the tightly contested matchup. Jimmy Butler provided a significant boost, recording 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists to complement Curry’s efforts.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr praised his star player, stating, “Steph was incredible. He was incredible. With that type of pressure on him, he made some amazing plays and carried us offensively along with Jimmy.”
The Rockets, seeded second, struggled to shake off the disappointment of their regular season-ending losing streak and have now dropped two home games in a row.
Coach Ime Udoka acknowledged his team’s play-off inexperience, noting that physicality and decision-making were key factors.
“It’s not really about the moment,” Udoka explained, “Going into the lane, trying to shoot over too many and not finding your outlets is a big thing for us.”
Golden State will aim to strengthen their lead in Game 2, scheduled for Thursday, while Houston looks for redemption in their first post-season appearance since 2019-20, where they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference play-offs, the Cleveland Cavaliers powered past the Miami Heat with a commanding 121-100 win.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Ty Jerome made a splash in his play-off debut with 28 points—16 of them coming in the fourth quarter—and Darius Garland added 27 points in a balanced offensive effort.
