Instant Analysis: Warriors Defeat Rockets In Game 3 Thriller

It was an epic showdown in the Chase Center tonight as the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets clashed in Game 3 of the first round of the NBA postseason. After taking the 15-point loss on Wednesday, the Warriors were eager to set things right and re-take control of the series with a convincing victory at home.

It was a slow start for Golden State, which scored 18 points in the first 12 minutes. Things picked up in the second quarter, but the Rockets were able to maintain their lead as they withstood every Warriors run. It wasn't until the final quarter that the Rockets were able to gain some separation, which gave them the final push they needed to win the game.

In 41 minutes on the court, Stephen Curry put up 35 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists on 52.2% shooting. Draymond Green finished with seven points, eight rebounds, and four assists on 27.3% shooting. Off the bench, Buddy Hield dropped 17 points, two rebounds, and three steals on 45.5% shooting from three.

Meanwhile, veteran guard Fred VanVleet was the top scorer for Houston with 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 35.7% shooting. Alperen Sengun dropped 15 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists while Jabari Smith Jr. tallied 12 points, five rebounds, and two blocks on 50% shooting.

It was far from the cleanest win for the Warriors, but they managed to get the job done tonight without their star forward Jimmy Butler, who was ruled out tonight with a deep muscle contusion. In his absence, others stepped up and managed to fill their shoes enough to win the game by double digits (104-93). Now, the series is tied at 2-2 with potentially two more games back in San Francisco.

Signature Heroics From Stephen Curry

With averages of 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, it's been a miraculous season for Stephen Curry, and he's not done yet. He's been on fire in this playoff run, and the streak continued tonight with arguably his best game of the series so far.

In 40:59 minutes on the court, Curry dropped 36 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and two blocks on 52.2% shooting from the field. He was +18 with five three-pointers made, including one late-game three in the clutch that helped seal the victory.

Without Butler, the Warriors were at a major disadvantage, but any game that they have Steph is still winable, and he reminded the world of that fact tonight. In an utterly elite performance, Curry gave the Warriors fans hope that something special was possible, and now he's got the whole team believing that they can win it all this season.

Steve Kerr's Major Lineup Changes

In the three games played so far, Steve Kerr has made various lineup changes intended to match the Rockets' size and physicality. When Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry took on the bulk of the scoring load, Kerr began to phase out guys like Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. 

Tonight, instead of starting Draymond Green at center, the Warriors moved him to his natural position: the power forward. In his place was Quinten Post, who got his first start of the NBA playoffs. He didn't score much in the game (two points and 12 rebounds), but his size and length gave the Warriors a much-needed presence inside.

Between these changes, the Warriors were able to offset the absence of Butler and hold the Rockets to just 93 points. In this series, the Warriors may have to go bigger and divert from the lineup that helped them win 48 games.

Warriors Win A Competitive Bench Duel

Depth has been a routine problem for the Warriors, and it was looking rough for them in the early part of the season. Without Butler, it put even more pressure on the supporting cast to step up and perform, but they answered the call tonight in an important playoff game.

As a team, the Warriors were clicking on offense, and they got some key contributions off the bench. Buddy Hield (17 points, 46.2% shooting) and Gary Payton II (16 points, 77.8% shooting) had their best games of the series and led the bench to a total of 42 points.

If the role-players can keep coming through like this, the Warriors could be in a position to make a deep playoff run this season and potentially pull off some major upsets. Clearly, they have enough firepower to give the Rockets a run for their money, and they expect the momentum to continue for the rest of this series, assuming everyone stays healthy.

Only time will tell how this postseason shakes out for Golden State, but with Stephen Curry playing like an MVP again, there's no limit to how far they can go. The thing to watch for going forward is the situation regarding Jimmy Butler. His return could determine this series, but the Warriors have already proven that they don't need him to win.