Jimmy Butler returned from injury to deliver under pressure, lifting the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets 109-106 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
The veteran forward scored 27 points, including five free throws in the final minute, and secured the game-clinching rebound with four seconds left.
Golden State’s win sets up a potential closeout Game 5 in Houston on Wednesday, where the seventh-seeded Warriors aim to eliminate the No. 2 seed on the road.
Brandin Podziemski added 26 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep, while Stephen Curry finished with 17 points despite a cold perimeter night at 2-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Buddy Hield, starting in place of Jonathan Kuminga, contributed 15 points and hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 3:32 remaining to cap Golden State’s 11-2 run.
Houston, led by Alperen Sengun’s 31 points and 10 rebounds, pulled within one after a layup with 40 seconds left, but Fred VanVleet missed a contested three at the buzzer.
VanVleet finished with 25 points and hit a crucial three to tie the game at 102 with 1:20 remaining, while Amen Thompson added 17 points and nine rebounds.
The second quarter was marred by physical altercations, with four technical fouls and a Flagrant 1 foul issued in two separate incidents.
Curry, Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks were involved in a heated exchange following a hard screen, with all three receiving technicals after a review.
Minutes later, Green was assessed a flagrant foul after pushing Tari Eason’s head into the floor during a loose-ball scramble; Eason also received a technical foul.
Butler shot 7-for-12 from the field and made all 12 of his free throw attempts in 40 minutes, returning from a pelvic contusion that sidelined him in Game 3.
The Warriors shot 41.9% from the field and hit 17 three-pointers, while Houston converted at a higher 49.4% clip but struggled at the line, going 19-for-31.
Golden State’s bench was outscored 14-20, but key efforts from Quinten Post (13 points) and Gary Payton II (four assists) helped offset that disparity.
The Rockets now face elimination as the series shifts back to Toyota Center, where they must win to extend the matchup to a Game 6.
