Buddy Hield erupted for 33 points and broke the Game 7 three-point record to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets 103-89 on Sunday night, advancing to the Western Conference semifinals.
Golden State will travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night in Game 1.
After going scoreless in Game 6, Hield caught fire early with six first-half threes, finishing 9-of-11 from beyond the arc and setting the tone in a must-win elimination game.
Stephen Curry struggled early but closed strong, scoring 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Curry added 10 rebounds and seven assists, and his signature “night night” celebration followed a late dagger three as the Warriors pushed the lead to 20 with just over two minutes remaining.
Draymond Green scored 16 points. Jimmy Butler contributed 20 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 44 minutes, helping the Warriors improve to 28-11 since acquiring him from Miami in February.
The Warriors became just the seventh No. 7 seed in NBA history to reach the second round.
Golden State held Houston to 33.3% shooting from deep and outscored them 33-27 in the fourth after entering the quarter with an eight-point lead.
The Rockets trimmed the deficit to seven early in the fourth, but a quick 7-2 burst from the Warriors, capped by a Curry three and an assist to Hield, restored control.
Amen Thompson led Houston with 24 points and nine rebounds, while Alperen Sengun added 21 points and 14 boards on 9-of-23 shooting.
VanVleet, who scored 55 points across Games 5 and 6, was limited to 17 points and three assists on Sunday as Houston shot just 40.5% overall.
Jalen Green, who had 38 points in Game 2, managed only eight points in the series finale, and the Rockets were outscored 28-20 in the second quarter as Golden State built a 12-point halftime lead.
Golden State played without Gary Payton II, who was sidelined with illness, but got quality production from all five starters including Brandin Podziemski’s nine points and three assists.
Hield’s 33 points were the most by a Warriors player off the bench or at forward in a Game 7 since 2016, and his nine threes surpassed the previous Game 7 record of seven.
The win sends Houston home despite finishing the regular season as the West’s No. 2 seed with a 52-30 record, marking their first playoff appearance since 2020.
