The Golden State Warriors are set to battle the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. The Warriors took control early in the series with a 95-85 road win in Game 1. Stephen Curry led the way with 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting, while Jimmy Butler added 25 in the low-scoring affair.
Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun paced the Rockets with 26 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 11 off the bench. As Game 2 tips off at the Toyota Center, all eyes are on how the Rockets respond. The Warriors, on the other hand, will try to maintain their edge, although Brandin Podziemski being listed as questionable due to illness could shift the balance.
Let’s see how both teams and players perform in this crucial matchup.
Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Box Score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warriors | 18 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 94 |
| Rockets | 28 | 32 | 27 | 22 | 109 |
Warriors Players’ Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | 37 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 6/15 | 4/9 |
| Moses Moody | 24 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4/7 | 3/6 |
| Draymond Green | 30 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2/6 | 2/6 |
| Jimmy Butler | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1/2 | 0/0 |
| Brandin Podziemski | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/5 | 0/2 |
| Quinten Post | 24 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4/9 | 4/8 |
| Jonathan Kuminga | 26 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 4/12 | 2/5 |
| Patrick Spencer | 12 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 5/7 | 1/1 |
| Buddy Hield | 15 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2/4 | 1/3 |
| Kevon Looney | 13 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2/3 | 0/0 |
| Gui Santos | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 0/1 |
| Kevin Knox II | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/3 | 0/1 |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1/1 | 0/0 |
| Gary Payton II | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/3 | 0/1 |
| Braxton Key | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
Rockets Player’s Stats
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Green | 35 | 38 | 4 | 6 | 13/25 | 8/18 |
| A. Sengun | 36 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 6/15 | 1/2 |
| D. Brooks | 24 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 6/12 | 2/5 |
| A. Thompson | 22 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4/7 | 0/1 |
| F. VanVleet | 42 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2/8 | 1/7 |
| T. Eason | 24 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 6/9 | 2/2 |
| J. Smith | 23 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2/4 | 1/3 |
| S. Adams | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
| J. Green (Bench) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/2 | 0/0 |
| A. Holiday | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0/2 | 0/1 |
| C. Whitmore | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/0 |
| R. Sheppard | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0/1 |
| N. Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 |
Warriors vs. Rockets: Game Recap
The Rockets came out firing in Game 2, taking a 28-18 lead over the Golden State Warriors after the first quarter at the Toyota Center. Their energy on both ends of the floor set the tone early.
The Rockets shot an impressive 45.5% from the field and were perfect from the free-throw line (6-of-6), with Jalen Green knocking down two late free throws to extend the lead. Houston also controlled the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds to Golden State’s six, and outscored the Warriors 12-4 in the paint.
Meanwhile, Golden State struggled to find rhythm offensively. They shot just 31.6% from the floor and committed five turnovers. Steph Curry made history by becoming just the 11th player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career playoff points.
Despite the rough start, the Warriors’ playoff experience and Curry’s milestone could fuel a bounce-back in the second quarter.
The second quarter saw a flurry of substitutions and highlight plays, but the Rockets maintained their lead heading into halftime, outscoring the Warriors 32-28 in the period.
Curry kept the Warriors within striking distance by drilling back-to-back deep three-pointers, including a 30-footer and another from 27 feet out. But Jalen Green responded in kind with a triple of his own, helping the Rockets hold their cushion.
Likewise, Sengun continued his strong offensive presence, knocking down a smooth jumper from 10 feet, while rotations for both teams brought fresh legs onto the court, including Quinten Post and Moses Moody for the Warriors.
At halftime, the Rockets led 60-46, with Golden State needing a momentum shift in the second half.
The Rockets turned up the heat in the third, outscoring the Warriors 27-25 and snatching the lead heading into the final quarter. Jalen Green was electric, pouring in 11 points with three triples, a dunk, and a steal that led to an easy bucket.
The Warriors tried to hold on with threes from Curry, Green, and Quinten Post, but Houston’s energy overwhelmed them late. Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. made key plays on both ends, and a last-minute dagger three from Green gave Houston the edge at the buzzer.
The Warriors came into the fourth down 16 and needed a huge push, but despite outscoring the Rockets 23-22, the effort wasn’t enough.
Golden State got some sparks early. Quinten Post knocked down two threes, and Moses Moody added a layup and a triple to cut into the lead.
But the Rockets had answers every time. Green and Brooks hit big-time threes to quiet any momentum. By the time the benches emptied in the final minutes, Houston had already locked in the win and tying the series at 1-1 with a 109-94 victory.