Curry’s 31 Points Guide Warriors to Road Playoff Win Against Rockets

Stephen Curry led the charge with a game-high 31 points as the Golden State Warriors opened their playoff run with a 95-85 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

The seventh-seeded Warriors secured their second consecutive win in Houston, with Curry also contributing six rebounds and three assists. Jimmy Butler added a valuable 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, giving Golden State a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 2 is set for Thursday.

“Steph was incredible. He was incredible,” lauded Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “With that type of pressure on him from [Amen] Thompson and others, he just made some amazing plays and, obviously, carried us offensively along with Jimmy.”

The second-seeded Rockets concluded their regular season on a sour note with three straight losses and have now dropped two consecutive games on their home court.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka, whose team is making its first playoff appearance since 2019-20, attributed their struggles to the increased physicality of playoff basketball rather than a lack of experience. “It’s not really about the moment. Going into the lane, trying to shoot over too many and not finding your outlets is a big thing and a big key for us all year.”

In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Miami Heat with a 121-100 victory. Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, supported by Ty Jerome’s 28 points (16 of which came in the fourth quarter in his playoff debut) and Darius Garland’s 27 points.