Stephen Curry delivered a stunning fourth-quarter performance, scoring 14 of his 24 points and hitting four crucial three-pointers that led the Golden State Warriors to a 106-95 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
The Rockets managed to secure their first lead since the late first quarter when Jalen Green executed a driving layup with 6:42 remaining in the game. However, the Warriors swiftly regained the lead at 88-87 when Draymond Green scored through a foul. Although Green missed the ensuing free throw, the Warriors grabbed the offensive rebound, and Curry sealed the deal with a three-pointer at the 5:09 mark, extending the lead to 91-87.
Curry wasn’t finished and went on to hit three more three-pointers, with the final one coming at the 3:19 mark, pushing the Warriors ahead 100-89. He contributed seven rebounds and six assists in addition to his 6-for-14 three-point shooting. Klay Thompson added 19 points, and Gary Payton II made a significant impact with 15 points off the bench as the Warriors made a total of 18 three-pointers out of 45 attempts.
For the Rockets, Jalen Green led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds. Alperen Sengun contributed 19 points and seven assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds. Houston had a notable advantage with 46 points in the paint and committed just seven turnovers.
The Rockets had difficulty turning the game in their favor during the third quarter, as they came within three points at 72-69 with a 13-4 run, only for Payton to hit a crucial three-pointer, extending the Warriors’ lead to two possessions.
Golden State entered the fourth quarter with an 81-75 lead.
The Warriors’ strong perimeter shooting allowed them to respond to an early surge by the Rockets. Payton’s three-pointer off an inbounds pass with 1:39 left in the first quarter gave the Warriors their first lead at 23-22.
Houston held a lead of as much as six points in the opening quarter.
The Warriors then started the second period with a 10-0 run, extending their lead to 12 points, taking full advantage of the Rockets’ 0-for-8 start from the floor. Although Houston narrowed the gap to four points, the Warriors entered halftime with a 57-47 lead. Thompson contributed 16 points in the first half for the Warriors, while Jalen Green had 13 points for the Rockets.
