The scoreboard said 95, and for three straight years, that number meant doom for the Golden State Warriors.
Not this time.
With Stephen Curry dialing in and Jimmy Butler backing him up, the Warriors flipped the script in Game 1 of their series against the Houston Rockets in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Warriors Break 3-Year Scoring Curse With Game 1 Win
The Warriors achieved a historic milestone by defeating the Rockets 95-85 in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. This victory marked the first time in three years that the Warriors won a game in which they scored 95 points in fewer.
The Warriors scored 95 points today.
The Warriors have lost every single game where they have scored 95 or fewer in the last 3 years.
The Warriors won today.
via @statmuse pic.twitter.com/vS8O7UlK5Y
— WarriorsMuse (@WarriorsMuse) April 21, 2025
This streak started during the 2021-22 season and included both regular season and postseason games.
The Warriors, under coach Steve Kerr, have been known for their fast-paced, three-point-heavy approach, averaging a 115.0 offensive rating (15th in the league) in the 2024-25 season.
Curry delivered a game-high 31 points, shooting 12-for-19 from the field and 5-for-9 from three-point range, while adding six rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 40 minutes. His performance was complemented by Butler, who contributed 25 points. The duo combined for 56 points to help the Warriors outpace the Rockets’ offense.
Golden State’s defense was equally impressive, holding Houston to 39.1% shooting from the field and a dismal 20.7% from beyond the arc.
“Steph was incredible,” Kerr told reporters postgame. “He was incredible. 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.”
Last month, the legendary Curry became the first player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career three-pointers in a win against the Sacramento Kings, a game where the Warriors scored 130 points.
As Joseph Dycus of the Bay Area News Group wrote, “Curry, who turned 37 last month, continues to score more effectively than the players who grew up watching him.”
Curry’s performance was part of a scorching April, where he averaged 30.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 5.2 three-pointers, and 1.4 steals across 10 contests.
By securing a 1-0 lead on Sunday, the Warriors gained home-court momentum heading into Game 2.
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The streak might be over, but the journey is far from it. If this game was any indication, the Warriors are ready to fight in ways we haven’t seen in a while. StatMuse reported that the team’ net rating of 3.3 ranked 10th in the league, suggesting they were peaking at the right time.