The Golden State Warriors were absolutely cooked Wednesday night in Houston, falling 115-108 to the Rockets at the Toyota Center after Stephen Curry only lasted six minutes before being ruled out. Curry’s early exit due to right abdominal soreness sucked all the air out of the building for the Dubs and set the stage for Houston to take control.
The Warriors’ Battle Without Their Star
Curry’s night was over in the first quarter, leaving him with a measly 3 points. This was a brutal blow for the Warriors, and the Rockets wasted no time making them pay, ripping off a 17-7 run right out of the gate. Houston was on fire, ending the first quarter with a dominant 35-20 lead. While Golden State showed some fight in the second, outscoring the Rockets 28-21, they still headed into halftime staring at an eight-point deficit. Yaxel Lendeborg stepped up big for the Warriors with 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Brandin Podziemski added 22 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists, trying to fill the void left by their sidelined superstar. Draymond Green also chipped in 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, but it clearly wasn’t enough.
Houston’s Decisive Surge and Mid-Game Chaos
The Rockets didn’t let up, pushing their lead back to double-digits early in the third quarter and holding onto it for most of the period. Things got real chippy midway through, though, when Rockets guard Marcus Smart threw a punch at Warriors center Charles Bassey, earning Smart an ejection. That kind of intensity is a reminder that every game counts, even this early in the season. Despite the Warriors managing to cut Houston’s lead to eight points early in the fourth, the Rockets slammed the door shut with an immediate and crushing 15-2 run that put the game out of reach. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Alperen Sengun put up a near triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. Amen Thompson also had a huge night with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists.
The Rockets now sit at a solid 9-3, looking like a real force in the Western Conference. The Warriors, meanwhile, drop to 8-4. Without their main man, they simply couldn’t get it done against a hungry Houston squad. You have to wonder what this means for Golden State moving forward if Curry’s injury lingers. They’ve got to figure out how to win without him, or this early season record is going to start looking a lot worse.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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