The Houston Rockets staved off elimination in a thrilling 115-107 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of their first-round NBA playoff series, forcing a decisive Game 7. Fred VanVleet led the charge with 29 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds, while Alperen Sengun added 21 points and 14 rebounds. The high-stakes battle in San Francisco sets the stage for a do-or-die Game 7 in Houston on Sunday, May 4, 2025, with a Western Conference semifinals matchup against Minnesota on the line.
Stephen Curry kept the Warriors in contention with 29 points, including 6-of-16 from three, but Golden State faltered, missing 13 consecutive shots between Draymond Green’s basket with 10:12 remaining and Curry’s three-pointer with 3:35 left. Jimmy Butler contributed 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, but it wasn’t enough. A pivotal moment came when VanVleet opened the fourth quarter with a four-point play, stealing momentum after Curry had pulled the Warriors within two. Jalen Green followed with a putback, and VanVleet’s three-pointer gave Houston a 101-89 lead.
Under coach Ime Udoka, now 5-1 in elimination games, the Rockets delivered a balanced performance. Steven Adams provided 17 points and key hustle plays off the bench. VanVleet was sensational, shooting 7-for-13 and going 9-for-9 from the free-throw line—perfect at 22-for-22 in the series—while hitting 18-of-27 threes over the last three games. Despite a 3-1 series lead, Golden State couldn’t contain Houston’s offense, which erupted for 131 points in Game 5. Draymond Green picked up a Flagrant-1 foul for shoving Jalen Green in the first quarter, but both teams stayed composed.
Game 7 looms in Houston, where the Rockets will look to capitalize on home-court advantage. Who will advance to the semifinals?
