Stephen Curry scored 31 points and Jimmy Butler filled the stat sheet as the Golden State Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 95-85 on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Golden State led by 23 in the third quarter before Houston trimmed the deficit to four late in the fourth, but timely threes from Curry and Moses Moody secured the win.
Curry finished 12-of-19 from the field and 5-of-9 from deep, including a clutch triple after the Rockets made it 78-74 with under six minutes to go.
Butler, making his postseason debut with the Warriors after a midseason trade from Miami, added 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and five steals in 42 minutes.
Houston, the No. 2 seed in the West, was back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020, but couldn’t overcome poor shooting from its backcourt.
Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green combined to shoot 7-for-34, including 2-for-17 from three-point range, as the Rockets went just 6-of-29 from long distance overall.
Alperen Sengun was a bright spot for Houston, scoring 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds in his playoff debut.
VanVleet’s three-pointer with 2:32 left brought Houston within 84-80, but Moody answered with a corner three to spark a 7-0 run that sealed the result.
Brandin Podziemski added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Golden State, which advanced to the playoffs by beating the Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament.
The win marked head coach Steve Kerr’s 100th playoff victory, tying him with Larry Brown for sixth all-time.
Draymond Green anchored the Warriors’ defense with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while Moody and Gary Payton II combined for 14 points off the bench.
The Rockets dominated the glass 52-36, including 22 offensive boards, but missed nine free throws and committed 16 turnovers.
Steven Adams contributed 12 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 11 points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting night.
Golden State shot 47.4% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc, while Houston managed 39.1% shooting and just 55% from the free-throw line.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Houston as the Warriors look to take a 2-0 series lead.
