Curry Leads Warriors Past Rockets for 2-1 Series Lead Without Butler

• Apr 27, 2025

Stephen Curry shook off a slow start and finished with 36 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds to guide the Golden State Warriors to a 104-93 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. With Jimmy Butler sidelined, the Warriors took a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Curry, who missed all three of his three-point attempts in the first quarter, found his rhythm in the second, scoring 13 points to help the Warriors close the gap. Golden State, which had trailed by 13 points, went into halftime down by just three at 49-46.

Despite Butler’s absence due to a pelvic injury and a deep gluteal muscle contusion suffered in Game 2, he remained active on the sidelines, cheering his teammates on while wearing a full-length fur coat. His status for Game 4 on Monday night at Chase Center remains uncertain.

Buddy Hield provided a major boost off the bench with 17 points, sinking five three-pointers. Gary Payton II also delivered a strong performance, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help secure the win. The Warriors have now won their sixth straight Game 3 in the opening round of the playoffs.

Houston started strong behind Fred VanVleet, who scored the team's first nine points and finished with 17. Alperen Sengun contributed 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but it was not enough to keep pace with the Warriors once Curry got going.

Curry’s playoff performance also saw him reach a major milestone, passing Tony Parker for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list with 4,053 career points.

The Rockets struggled with foul trouble, particularly Dillon Brooks, who fouled out with 3:47 left. Brooks, who had defended the controversial foul that injured Butler in Game 2, picked up his second foul midway through the first quarter and had four fouls by halftime. He, along with other Rockets players, was heavily booed by the crowd during pregame introductions.

Golden State, after losing three straight home games at the end of the regular season, continued their postseason momentum with a solid win, setting up a crucial Game 4.