Curry, Butler combine for 56 as Warriors edge Rockets in playoff opener

Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points and Jimmy Butler III added 25 as the visiting Golden State Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 95-85 on Sunday (Monday, April 21, Manila time) in Game 1 of this Western Conference first-round series.

Curry, who shot 1-for-10 and scored three points in a home loss to the Rockets on April 6, was brilliant throughout.

He finished 12-for-19 overall, drilled five 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds. Butler added seven rebounds and six assists to his ledger as the visiting Warriors grabbed a 1-0 series lead with Game 2 set for Wednesday in Houston.

“Steph was incredible. He was incredible,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “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 (Butler).”

Houston shaved a 23-point deficit to 76-73 on an Amen Thompson floater with 6:49 left to play. But Curry pushed that advantage back to 82-75 with a 3-pointer with 5:11 remaining. Butler and Brandin Podziemski (14 points, eight rebounds, five assists) kept the Rockets at bay down the stretch.

The Rockets shot just 39.1 percent and committed 17 turnovers that the Warriors converted into 25 points. Alperen Sengun posted 26 points and nine rebounds, but Jabari Smith Jr. was the first teammate to join him in double figures with 11 points, doing so via a corner 3-pointer with 7:34 left.

Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet shot a combined 7-for-34 and totaled 17 points for Houston.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka said when asked if playoff inexperience got to his players in Game 1.

“I wouldn’t say the moment, I would say the physicality at times, going after guys, and just playoff basketball,” Udoka said. “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.

“When we do it right, we get wide-open looks; when we don’t, we struggle a little bit,” he continued. “I wouldn’t say that has anything to do with the moment, but the physicality does go up, and you have to understand that when you drive to the paint.”

The Rockets were energized early behind Sengun, who had eight points and six rebounds in the first quarter. Houston led 19-12 when Tari Eason converted a steal into a fast-break dunk with 3:20 left in the period, but Curry engineered a brief run to close that gap.

Curry followed his assist to Butler with a pair of drives that pulled the Warriors to within 21-18 entering the second.

Butler then supplied the Warriors their first lead at 24-23 with a free throw at the 9:16 mark of the second quarter. Golden State later seized its first double-digit advantage with an 11-0 run capped by a Curry reverse layup with 6:08 remaining in the first half.

The Rockets briefly stemmed the tide and pulled to within four points, only for the Warriors to close the half with a 9-0 burst that featured two Curry 3-pointers and three points from Butler.

Meanwhile, the Rockets missed their final five shots and committed two turnovers during that stretch, and entered the intermission trailing 47-34 after shooting 6 of 18 in the second period. – Rappler.com