The Houston Rockets have forced a Game 7 against the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors held a commanding 3-1 lead over the Rockets, but Golden State failed to close out Houston on the road in Game 5 Wednesday and at home on Friday in a 115-107 loss in Game 6 at the Chase Center.
Rockets veteran Fred VanVleet led the way with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Alperen Şengün recorded his second straight double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Amen Thompson added 14 points. Steven Adams played a season-high 31 minutes off the bench and scored 17 points.
The Warriors had a tough shooting night. The team collectively shot 41.1% from the field and 30.6% from 3. Steph Curry, who finished with a team-high 29 points, shot 9-of-23 from the field and 6-of-16 from 3.
Game 7 is set for Sunday. The winner will move on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who clinched their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, 4-1.
Final: Rockets 115, Warriors 107
USA TODAY Sports provides a recap of Game 6 in San Francisco:
Rockets vs. Warriors highlights
End of 3Q: Rockets 86, Warriors 84
The Rockets and the Warriors have kept the game close through the first three quarters of play.
The Warriors outscored the Rockets 36-33, but it’s Houston that held the lead at the end of each quarter so far.
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are not only the two leading scorers for the Warriors but for the game so far. Curry has scored 26 points while shooting 8-of-16 from the field. Butler has produced 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Fred VanVleet led the Rockets with 20 points while shooting 5-of-8 from the field but has been effective from long range, making four of five attempts. VanVleet has also made all six free throw attempts.
Jalen Green continues to be a non-factor, being limited to just two points in the third quarter.
Steven Adams stats
Adams missed the entire 2023-24 season after undergoing surgery on his PCL, but returned to the court in the 2024-25 season averaging 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 58 games this season (three starts). He’s averaging 19.6 minutes through the first five games of the playoffs, with 4.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Halftime: Rockets 53, Warriors 48
The Rockets built a lead as large as 11 in the second quarter, but the Warriors are also playing with a sense of urgency with the intention of finishing the series at home.
The Warriors have not held a lead larger than two points in the first half.
Fred VanVleet leads the Rockets with 10 points as Houston takes a five-point lead into the locker room for halftime. It’s been a slow start for Jalen Green, who has shot 2-of-8 from the field and finished the second quarter with seven points.
Stephen Curry has a game-high 16 points for the Warriors, but finished the first half with three fouls.
The Warriors produced an 11-0 run to close the gap and tied the game at 46 with three minutes left in the half before the Rockets went on an 8-2 scoring run of their own to end the quarter.
End of 1Q: Rockets 25, Warriors 21
Alperen Sengun and Fred VanVleet each scored eight points for the Rockets in the first quarter. The Rockets find themselves in a win-or-go-home situation tonight.
Jimmy Butler leads the Warriors with six points. Stephen Curry added five points.
The Rockets won the turnover battle in the opening period 5-3.
Alperen Şengün stats
Şengün averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 76 games (all starts) this season. Through the first five playoff games, Şengün is averaging a double-double, with 20.8 points and 11 rebounds, in addition to 5.2 assists. His best performance came in Houston’s Game 4 loss against the Warriors after he dropped 31 points and 10 rebounds.
Golden State Warriors’ starting lineup
Gary Payton II is in the starting lineup tonight for the Golden State Warriors, replacing Brandin Podziemski. Veterans Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield are back in the lineup after starting in Game 5.
Houston Rockets’ starting lineup
Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson make up the starting lineup for the Houston Rockets tonight in Game 6.
What time is Warriors vs. Rockets?
Game 6 between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors will tip-off at 9 p.m. ET on May 2 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California.
How to watch Warriors vs. Rockets playoff game: TV, stream
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Chase Center (San Francisco, California)
TV: ESPN
Stream: Sling TV
Warriors vs. Rockets NBA playoff schedule, results
Warriors lead series 2-1
Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
Game 3: Warriors 104, Rockets 93
Game 4: Warriors 109, Rockets 106
Game 5: Rockets 131, Warriors 116
Game 6: Rockets at Warriors | Friday, May 2, TBD | TBD*
Game 7: Warriors at Rockets | Sunday, May 4, TBD | TBD*
*if necessary
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
