Rockets 115 vs 107 Warriors summary, stats, scores and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 6
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The Warriors scored just 5 points in the first seven minutes of the 4th quarter and that allowed VanVleet and the Rockets to take a commanding lead which they held on to for the rest of the night. VanVleet ended the night with 29 points, hitting six threes and carrying his team back to Houston with plenty of life and fight still in them.
Game 7 will be on Sunday night from Houston.
The Rockets tried using a hack-a-Adams strategy late in the game but it worked to no avail as the Kiwi knocked down 9-16 FTs and helped the Rockets maintain a lead on the Warriors.
The Rockets took the lead before halftime and kept the lead the rest of the way. The Warriors were right on their heels but every time they would try to creep back in the game the Rockets would come up with big play after big play. Their vet, Fred VanVleet is guiding this young team through the playoffs and taking them under his wing.
Curry and Butler were kept quiet for most of the first half as the Warriors trailed for essentially the entire two quarters, but all of the sudden Curry went on a personal 11-0 run and just like that, things were tied up right before the halftime break.
Steven Adams had himself a night. He played 31 minutes, scored 17 points and dragged down 5 rebounds with three blocked shots, but those numbers don't begin to tell the story of how important he was for the Rockets on Friday night.
It has been and will be the defense that carries this team in this series and perhaps beyond. The pressure was air tight all night and that forced the Warriors into 16 turnover, many of which were taken for points on the other end.
Fred VanVleet came into Game 6 on fire from downtown, and nothing changed on Friday night. He saw the first one go in, and knew the flood gates were still open for the rest of the night.
The Houston Rockets knew it was win or go home in San Francisco on Friday night and they came up with the biggest win in recent franchise history to stay alive and force a Game 7. Fred VanVleet led the way with 29 points in the 115-107 win from Chase Center.
It was Alperen Sengun who came out early and set the tone for the visitors in this must win situation, scoring 6 quick points off the bat. He would quiet down for the rest of the first half, but reactivate for the second half.
IT'S ALL OVER FROM THE CHASE CENTER!!!
The Houston Rockets go into San Fran and force Game 7 with a dominant fourth quarter!!!
Jackson-Davis down the lane and he smashes it home.
Spencer back to the bucket for a lay up down the lane.
Spencer hits the jumper for his second bucket off the benc.
Timeout with 1:14 to go in Game 6.
Santos to the rack and he lays it up and in.
Sengun to the line and he hits one of two FTs.
VanVleet to the line and he hits both FTs.
Spencer drives and lays it up off the glass. The starters are on the bench for Golden State.
Timeout with 2:22 to go in the 4th quarter.
Adams back to the line and he hits both FTs.
Podziemski with the lay up as the defense has eased up from the Rockets.
3:00 to go from San Fran.
Adams back to the line and he hits both FTs.
Green to the line after the foul on Thompson and he hits one of two FTs.
Adams to the line again, and he hits one of two FTs.
Curry finally sees a three ball to fall from the top of the key!
Adams to the line and he hits one of two FTs.
Sengun called for a flagrant foul on Butler after coming down on Butler's head after attempting a block and hits both FTs.
GS get the ball back but can't get a bucket out of the inbound.
Sengun over the top for Adams and he smashes home the alley oop!!
Green to the line after the foul on Hield and he hits one of two.
Sengun to the line after the foul on Hield and he hits both FTs.
Adams to the line after the hack-a-Adams and he misses both FTs but Sengun gets the offensive board and gets fouled. He's going to the line.
Butler tried to save the ball from going out of bounds and threw it right to Sengun who kicked it out to VanVleet who jacked the three ball and hit it!
Timeout Warriors with 6:47 to go in the 4th quarter.
Podziemski sends Thompson to the line where he hits both FTs.
Thompson turns on the jets and sneaks a lay up up and in of the left side.
Green sends Butler to the line and he hits one of FTs.
Sengun backing into traffic and he gets the floater to fall in the paint.
Butler slips it down for Green down low and he floats it up and in from the baseline.
Butler to the line after the foul on Smith and he hits both FTs.
Green was blocked on his lay up attempt but got it back and put it back up.
VanVleet starts the quarter with a massive three ball and a foul!!! FT is good after the foul on Payton.
Just experiencing some technical difficulties but it's 86-84 Rockets at the end of the third quarter!
Kickout from Podziemski to Moody who strings the three ball from the wing!
Adams back to the line and he misses both, but Sengun snuck in and tipped it in.
Podziemski spots up from the wing and he sinks the three.
VanVleet down the lane and he gets the roll on the lay up. He's got 20 on the night.
Adams back to the line and this time he hits one of two FTs.
Butler forced up a runner from the elbow and he got it go fall as the buzzer sounded.
Adams to the line as GS implement their hack-a-Adams. He hits both FTs.
Butler down low to Moody on the easy slam and the Rockets need a timeout with 3:46 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Extra pass from VanVleet to Smith for three from the wing!
Podziemski in the corner for three and that's just his second FG of the night!
VanVleet scrambling for the loose ball and slides it to Smith Jr. in the corner for three!
Thompson driving and double clutches in the lane for a tough lay up in traffic.
Quick trigger three from the top of the key after the handoff from Podziemski and he gets it to fall.
Post missed the three but Podziemski was there for the tip in underneath.
Green to the line after the TO and he hits both FTs.
Timeout on the floor with under 7:00 to go in the 3rd quarter.
Segun drives, stops, spins, finishes and gets the foul. FT is no good after the foul on Butler.
Butler pulls up from inside the arc and gets the foul on Sengun who was in his landing area. FT is good.
Curry coming back to life with a three ball to start his second half after going on an 11-0 person run in the 2nd quarter.
VanVleet with another three ball as he steps into the shot off the kickout from Sengun.
Thompson with an elbow jumper off the dribble. He had a nice first half and will be looking to continue that in the second.
Payton strokes the three ball from the wing off the feed from Butler!
Hield sends VanVleet to the line and he hits both FTs.
Sengun with a short push shot in the paint and he's in double digits.
Butler follows the missed three from Payton with a tip in down low.
VanVleet answers back with a long ball from the top of the key!!
Butler opens the half with a three ball off the dish from Payton!
WE ARE BACK IN SAN FRAN FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!
Curry went on an 11-0 run all on his own and tied the game up. he's got 16 and Butler has 12 but the Warriors have led just once all game.
Curry finally said enough in enough and went into take over mode. No one can find a groove quicker than Steph, who got going with a three ball and then this impossible shot and the foul.
The Rockets pride themselves on their defense and they have been in the lead for most of the night because of their defense. Adams was just a part of a collective effort that kept the Warriors quiet for much of the first 24 minutes.
Jimmy had 6 after the first quarter and Curry had 5 but the Warriors were trailing the Rockets for most of the first quarter and into the second
VanVleet has reencountered his stroke from downtown after a sluggish first few games. He has been spectracular from downtown lately.
In this all important Game 6, it was the Turkish Terminator who came out of the gates swinging for the Rockets and got the visitors off to a quick start.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF AND IT'S THE ROCKETS ON TOP DESPITE A LATE FLURRY FROM CURRY!
Butler pulls up and hits a deep two and gets fouled by Brooks, but the FT is no good.
Thompson on he baseline jumper and he hits it over Green.
Extra pass on the break from Sengun for Green and he drills the three from the wing!
VanVleet dumps it off to Thompson for the slam to break up the Curry run.
Make that an 11-0 run after Curry pulls up in transition from the top of the key!
Curry fouled by VanVleet and he hit both FTs. 8-0 run from Curry.
Curry to the line after the break and he hits the FT to complete the three point play.
Curry felt the contact coming from Brooks and put up an off balanced leaner, banked it in and got the foul!!! He'll be at the line after the timeout with 2:44 to go in the first half!
Curry off the curl and he pulls the trigger from the wing for three!! That's only 8 points for Curry tonight.
Curry just picked up his third foul while sending Thompson to the line and he hits one of two FTs.
Brooks with a steal off the rebound from Golden State and he glides to the lane for the alley oop.
Extra pass from Green to Eason and he strokes it from the wing!!
Looney sends Brooks to the line and he one of two FTs.
Butler with numbers and he finds Moody on the wing for a step in three ball!
Eason slices down the lane and lays it up off the glass with his left hand.
Butler fouled by Adams and he hits both FTs.
It was a foul and nothing more. Hard fall, but a fair foul. Thompson back to his feet and he goes to the line and hits one of two FTs.
Eason with the steal and he hit Thompson on the break, but Payton met him at the lane, and Thompson came down hard in a scary fall. The foul was called and the refs are going to take a look at that to see if there was anything more than a foul.
Thompson missed the lay up down low but Adams was there with the rebound and the put back.
Timeout from San Fran with 7:34 to go in the first half.
Moody with a quick trigger off the dribble from the elbow.
Smith off the dribble and he pulls up from outside the lane with a short jumper.
Post was left alone in the corner and he hit the three ball!
VanVleet to the line after a foul on Moody and he hits both FTs.
Sengun looks down to Adams under the basket and he spins and slams it home.
Butler zips a pass down low and finds Green for the jam down low.
Long offensive rebound for Holiday and he jacks the three from the wing!
Butler to the line after the foul on Holiday and he hits both FTs.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER HERE FROM THE BAY!!!
Houston lead by four thanks to 8 from VanVleet and Sengun. Butler has 6 and Curry as 5 after a low scoring first half.
Curry turns it over and Eason finds Green on the break for the two handed slam.
Eason drills a three ball from the wing off the feed from Thompson.
Timeout on the floor with 2:07 to go.
Steph running the break, looks up to Butler who dumps it off to Post for the jam in transition.
VanVleet jacks the three from the top of the key and answers with a deep ball!
Moody steps into a three ball at the top of the key and he strings it!
VanVleet to the line after the foul on Podziemski and he hits both FTs.
Butler to the line after the foul on Eason and he hits both FTs.
Adams in the lane off the dump off from VanVleet and he hits the baby hook in the lane.
Podziemski running the break and he lofts it up for Payton on the alley oop slam!
Curry lights it up from downtown and he drills a three ball off the step back!!
Sengun with an offensive board and put back slam off the missed three from VanVleet.
Curry with his first bucket and it comes off a floater off the curl in the lane.
Butler with a short pull up and he hits it off the feed from Curry.
Sengun off to a great start, he gets a lay up to fall and he's got a couple buckets to his name already.
Butler into the lane and he gets his first bucket to go on a floater.
Green with a flagrant foul on Jaren Green and he hits both FTs and Sengun hits a lay up after HOU get the ball back.
VanVleet continues his hot streak from downtown!!! He hits his first three of the night from the corner!
Draymond from the top of the key and he strings the three ball off the dis from Butler.
Sengun starts things off with a slam off the dish from Green.
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM THE BAY AREA!!!
Jimmy Buckets step to the stage
Nights like these are why the Warriors brought JImmy Butler to the Bay. This is when he shines. They don't call him Playoff Jimmy for nothing. With Steph's thumb banged up, he's going to have to lighten the load on the offensive end, and on the defensive end he's going to do what he alway does on a night to night basis.
Tick tock to tip off
We are close to tip off. As always these NBA tip offs are never on time, but we've got you covered all the way up until tip off and into the night. We'll have live coverage, and highlights during halftime and after the game while keeping you updated with all the action in Game 6 from San Fran.
Rockets first five
The Rockets need their youngsters to step up like their vets have lately. Coach Udoko has VanVleet, Thompson, Green, Brook and Sengun starting things off from the Chase Center in Game 6.
Warriors first five
The Warriors have to win this game tonight. They don't want to be put in a position where they have to win Game 7 on the road. That's why they need to come out and avoid a start like the one they had last game. Coach Kerr is going with Steph, Heild, Payton, Butler and Green for the start of Game 6.
Injury report: Rockets
The Rockets got Jock Landale back last game which gave them a little more depth at in the paint but he is out again tonight. He joins Jae’Sean Tate who has been out the entire series, but everyone else is a go for coach Udoko’s team. They are going to need to get the best out of everyone if they are going to have a chance to even up the series.
Injury report: Warriors
Between Steph’s thumb and Jimmy Butlers pelvic contusion it might surprise you that the Warriors injury report is pretty clean. The only one who was a risk of missing the game was Jonathan Kuminga who had a migraine yesterday but will be good for tonight’s massive match up from the Chase Center.
Injury report: Warriors
Between Steph’s thumb and Jimmy Butlers pelvic contusion it might surprise you that the Warriors injury report is pretty clean. The only one who was a risk of missing the game was Jonathan Kuminga who had a migraine yesterday but will be good for tonight’s massive match up from the Chase Center.
ANT wants Warriors
The Minnesota Timberwolves took care of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 and punched their ticket to the Western Conference Semifinal. They await the winner of this series, but Anthony Edwards already knows who he wants to see in the next round of the playoffs. He has been wanting to meet up with the Golden State Warriors since 2023, and if Golden State can win tonight ANT will get his wish. The reason Edwards said he wants to see the Warriors is simply because “Draymond Green talks so much trash.” He might get his chance to shut him up, and you know ANT never backs away from a challenge. He talked about wanting to play LeBron and beat LeBron, because that’s the kind of competitor that he is. Job done there. Now it’s time to turn the page.
Not so Green
Jalen Green was the Rockets top scorer during the regular season with over 21 ppg. He is a youngster still, and has proven that he’s capable of some brilliant performances but he has created more critics than fans in this series. He had one fantastic night against the Warriors back in Game 2 when he put up 38 points, hitting 8 three pointers, but he has struggled in each and every other game. Last game he scored 11 points, and that was the only other time in this series that he scored in double digits. This is a deep team with lots of scoring options, but they need a star, and it doesn’t look like Green is ready to step up and play that role.
Brooks on the attack
Dillon Brooks has accepted the persona of the NBA’s newest bad boy. He wants the role. He embraces the role. He was the bad boy with the Grizzlies where he had plenty of encounters with Steph Curry, and the Warriors and LeBron James and the Lakers. Now with the Rockets, he is not just the bully for Houston, he is also the veteran. There have been a few clips of Steph shooting threes and Brooks looking like he’s locked in on Curry’s thumb trying to get a piece of it. Brooks was asked about his intentions the other day and he didn’t hold back.
Curry’s thumb
It’s been a story since before the regular season ended. Steph Curry’s wrapped thumb that kept him out of a few games before the post season started. We got our first real look at Curry’s thumb the other day in a picture that was taken of Steph in street clothes. His thumb was grizzly looking to say the least. When asked about it after the Game 5 loss, he was quick to brush off any speculation. The thumb has been wrapped in what looks like a protective cast for the last few weeks during games, but it doesn’t seem to be affecting his shot too much. The only thing it might be doing is giving the Rockets a target to lock in on.
Star watch: Rockets
In the last couple of games the Rockets have had to rely on the players that have playoff experience and veteran leadership because their youth, and physicality wasn’t cutting it. That’s a great thing to have, but in the playoffs you need guys who have been there before and Fred VanVleet has won an NBA title. After a rough start to the series from behind the three point line, VanVleet has course corrected. He went 5/29 in the first three games from downtown. In the last two games he shot 12/16 from three point distance and put up games of 25 and 26. On the road, in a hostile environment meant, VanVleet has to come through in the clutch to keep the Rockets season alive.
Star watch: Warriors
Steph Curry is, has been and will be in this portion of the game preview. The star watch was made for Curry and Curry was born to be a star. He has been the catalyst of the Warriors in this series but went just 4/12 from the field for 13 points in Game 5. And had just 17 points in Game 4 although the Warriors won that game. He started he series strong with 31 points in the opener from Houston and had 36 in the first game from the Bay. With the series on the line tonight, look for Curry to be his usual brilliant self. We may be in for another historic playoff performance from the greatest shooter of all time.
Game 5 recap
Houston went back home knowing they needed a win after digging themselves a 3-1 hole through the first four games of the series. They came out like the more desperate team, with everything to lose, and built up a massive first half lead over Steph, Jimmy and the Warriors. A six minute scoreless spell from the Warriors in the first half allowed Houston to stretch the lead to 27 midway through the second quarter and from there the Rockets cruised to victory. Freed VanVleet led the way with 26 points, while Amen Thompson chipped in 25 and Dillon Brooks poured in another 24. Coach Kerr yanked his starters out of the game with just under 6:00 to go in the third quarter and the Rockets took Game 5 131-116.
We are live from San Fran
Hello everyone and welcome to the Bay Area where the Warriors are back home and looking to take care of business in front of their home fans. They got smacked around by the Houston Rockets in Game 5 and had most of their starters on the bench for a majority of the second half. Tonight the Rockets will hope to extend the series to a 7th and decisive game, but the Warriors have other ideas. It’s Game 6 from the Bay, and this one promises to be a good one.
Rockets vs. Warriors
A potential close out game from the Bay Area tonight as Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors return home with a chance to advance to the next round, but they will have to get past a Houston Rockets team that showed in Game 5, that they aren’t going down without a fight. It’s the seven seed in the West, with a chance to knock out the two seed tonight at home and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis of tonight’s game from Chase Center.