Golden State Warriors Edge Houston Rockets 109-106

The Houston Rockets’ Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors was a crucial situation on Monday night. But the Rockets fell to the Warriors 109-106 at the Chase Center. Golden State took a commanding 3-1 series lead over Houston.

Jimmy Butler led the Warriors with 27 points, five rebounds and six assists. Brandin Podziemski followed up with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists. Stephen Curry added 17 points, three rebounds and three assists. Buddy Hield had 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Quinten Post scored 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Draymond Green recorded six points, eight rebounds and two assists. Moses Moody tallied three points, one rebound and one assist. Gary Payton II posted two points, three rebounds, and four assists.

Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors Recap

The Houston Rockets ruled out Jock Landale with a right knee contusion and Jae’Sean Tate with a right ankle impingement. The Rockets’ starting lineup featured Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green (no relation to Draymond Green), Dillon Brooks and Alperen Sengun.

The Golden State Warriors confirmed Butler’s return after a left pelvic contusion suffered in Game 2 on April 23. Butler was able to participate in Monday morning’s shootaround, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. The Warriors’ starting lineup featured Curry, Podziemski, Hield and Butler.

The Warriors opened the first-quarter scoring with three 3-pointers. The Rockets got into a rhythm with a 7-2 run before ramping up the physicality. The Warriors settled for a 28-26 lead after the first quarter. Both teams suffered a slow start in the second quarter but picked up the pace. The Rockets’ defense was stellar. The officials assessed a technical foul and a flagrant foul on Green. The Rockets took a 57-50 lead into halftime.

Podziemski had the first possession of the second half. The Warriors made a statement with a 13-0 run to start the third quarter. The Rockets responded with a 7-0 run. The Warriors led 82-80 after three quarters. Podziemski and Curry led the Warriors’ offense in the fourth quarter. The Rockets’ offense remained steady but fell short. The Warriors won 109-106 in regulation.

Rockets-Warriors Highlights

The Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors game featured multiple highlights, such as Steven Adams finishing second for the 2024-25 NBA Teammate of the Year award. Adams trailed Curry by 20 first-place votes equating to 20 points. The award looked at selfless play, leadership and commitment to the team.

For the Rockets, the Rockets’ fanbase in San Francisco exists. Chron.com reported Rodney and Lenay Pegram were the rare Rockets fans at the Chase Center in Game 3 on Saturday. The pair are season-ticket holders for the Rockets and felt compelled to support a team that has captured their hearts.

As for the Warriors, Green revealed his first reaction to the Warriors trading for Butler. Green told ESPN, “There’s an appreciation that we felt and feel. We were sitting there and coming to that realization we got an obligation to uphold … They [traded for Butler] for us because they still believe in us.”

Final Thoughts

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 104-93 in Game 3 at the Chase Center on Saturday night. Golden State took a 2-1 series lead. Curry led the Warriors with 36 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.

The Rockets and Warriors’ Game 5 will be played in the Toyota Center on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. Central. The Rockets could benefit from home-court advantage, as long as the Rockets’ defense stays on the up and up and the Rockets players avoid turnovers while achieving a successful late-game execution.