SAN FRANCISCO — Fred VanVleet had 29 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds, Alperen Sengun contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets kept their season alive by beating the Golden State Warriors 115-107 on Friday night and forcing a deciding Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.
Golden State went cold when it mattered most: The Warriors missed 13 straight shots between Draymond Green‘s basket with 10:12 left and a 3-pointer by Stephen Curry at the 3:35 mark.
Now, everybody will get back on an airplane and head to Houston for Game 7 on Sunday for a chance to meet well-rested Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals. That’s exactly what the Warriors were hoping to avoid with a chance to clinch at home in Chase Center.
“Just make everything tough,” VanVleet told ESPN after the game when asked about Houston’s decisive fourth quarter. “Obviously, we know what they bring to the table. So just make everything tough. Contest everything. We got the double big lineup in the back to clean up at the rim and rebound. And then at the other end stay in attack mode.
“I just think just our youth and out athleticism can wear on them over the course of the game, and we were able to have some success on them late.”
Curry scored 29 points but shot 9-of-23, going 6-for-16 from deep. Jimmy Butler added 27 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.
Houston coach Ime Udoka improved to 5-1 when facing elimination.
VanVleet converted a four-point play to start the fourth quarter after the Warriors had pulled within two with Curry’s flurry to end the third. Jalen Green scored the next time down on a putback of his own miss. Then, VanVleet’s 3 from the top with 6:47 remaining put Houston up 101-89.
“We can’t give up a four-point play in a two-point game,” Draymond Green said.
Curry’s driving layup with 39 seconds left in the third made it a four-point game, firing up the home crowd in bright yellow playoff shirts with matching rally towels. He then made two free throws as the Warriors pulled to within 86-84.
But the Warriors couldn’t keep it going. With a balanced effort on both ends — including 17 points and hustle plays by big man Steven Adams off the bench — Houston had an answer nearly every time Golden State threatened or made a big play.
The Warriors led 3-1 in the series but fell behind in a hurry in a 131-116 Game 5 loss Wednesday night as Houston’s offense rolled after averaging 98 points through the first four games of the series.
VanVleet was brilliant again. He shot 7-for-13 from the floor after consecutive games going 8-for-13, and he converted all nine of his free throws. And from 3-point range the past three games, he’s 18 for 27.
“He’s comfortable, he’s getting where he wants to get to,” Draymond Green said. “Somehow you’ve got to break that up.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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