The heart of an NBA champion is difficult to stop.
The upstart second-seeded Houston Rockets learned that in Game 7 of their first-round Western Conference series against the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors defeated the Rockets 103-89 in Game 7, becoming the ninth team in the past five playoffs to win Game 7 on the road. They advance to a conference semifinals series against the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 1 is Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
Buddy Hield scored a playoff career-high 33 points, and Steph Curry added 22 points for the Warriors who also avoided becoming the 14th team to blow a 3-1 lead and lose a series.
After trailing 3-1 in the series against the Warriors, the Rockets forced Game 7 – only to lose the finale at home against a franchise still clinging to championship aspirations after winning titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.
A fifth title in 2025 remains a possibility for Golden State.
What we learned from Game 7:
Buddy Hield leads Warriors
Buddy Hield was the star of Game 7. Not Curry. Not Draymond Green. Not Jimmy Butler.
Hield scored 22 of his 33 points in the first half Sunday when Curry struggled with just three points in the first and second quarters. Hield converted 12-of-15 shots, including 9-of-11 3-pointers, which tied a Game 7 record for made 3s.
“That was really incredible watching him light it up in the first half and down the stretch as well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Hield also had three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal.
Warriors’ stars tough to eliminate
A team with the collective experience of Curry, Green and Butler on the court and Kerr coaching remains a tough out no matter the seed.
After scoring just three points in the first half, Curry found offensive life with 19 points in the second half, making 3s and driving to the rim for layups.
Green contributed 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
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Though Butler doesn’t have a championship, his competitive pedigree is well known and he led multiple teams deep into the playoffs, including two Finals appearances with the Miami Heat. He had 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists Sunday.
The Warriors are now 27-10, playoffs included, since acquiring Butler at the trade deadline.
Kerr went to his bench earlier, and though he got just three points from his reserves, Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney and Moses Moody provided valuable minutes. Kerr also got his team to protect the basketball. The Warriors committed just seven turnovers.
That’s the kind of basketball that gives the Warriors a chance to beat the Timberwolves and reach the conference finals.
Growing Rockets not there yet
It was a fantastic season for the Rockets – 52 victories and the No. 2 seed. But they are not ready to compete for a Western Conference title. They have a great young core with multiple players 23 or younger, including Alperen Sengun (21 points, 14 rebounds) and Amen Thompson (24 points, nine rebounds, three assists).
Young teams often go through a learning process as they go from rebuilding team to playoff team. It’s not unusual, and the Rockets didn’t get an easy No. 7 seed.
It will be interesting to see what changes the Rockets make in the offseason to improve. Fred VanVleet had another valuable season, but the final year of his deal in 2025-26 at $44.8 million is a team option.
Rockets’ Jalen Green struggles in his first playoff appearance
Jalen Green had a fantastic regular season, averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists. But in the playoffs, he was at 13.3 points per game and 37.2% shooting from the field and 29.5% shooting on 3s – and that includes a 38-point performance in Game 2. He had seven, nine, eight and eight points in Games 1, 3, 4 and 7.
He’s just 23 years old so there is room for growth. He is not the first player to struggle in his first playoff series, but the Rockets need to work with him so that he’s better next time.
Timberwolves vs. Warriors in second round
Golden State and Minnesota are not your typical seven and six seeds, and this conference semifinals matchup is more like a conference finals series.
It will be competitive and should be an entertaining series with all the star power and coaching acumen. Though Kerr is the bigger name, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch is an outstanding strategist, especially in a seven-game series.
Golden State won the season series 3-1, and all four games were played before the Warriors acquired Butler at the Feb. 6 trade deadline.