The Warriors started their NBA Playoffs 2025 campaign with a win.
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for 56 points to guide the Golden State Warriors to a 95-85 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2025 First Round. Curry posted 31 points, six rebounds, and three assists for the Warriors in his 40 minutes of gameplay. With this, he became the oldest point guard in NBA history to score 30+ points in a playoff game.
On the other hand, Butler, making his playoffs debut with the Dubs, came up with 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in 42 minutes of action. Butler is now the fourth Warrior to record 25+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists and over 5 steals in a playoff game since 1973-74. He joined the list of elites including Rick Barry, Curry, and Hardaway. Not only this, but he is also the first Dub to have over 25 points and 5+ steals in a playoff debut.
The Rockets started red hot and quickly got a 13-5 run on the back of Alperen Sengun’s eight points. On the other hand, the Warriors seemed to be struggling and they missed their six straight field goals. By the end of the first quarter, the Rockets were leading the seven-time champions 21-18. Butler scored six points and had two assists, making up for 68.8% of the Dubs’ scoring.
The Warriors made their comeback in the second quarter and went on a 12-4 run to take a 24-23 lead. Curry led his side with two threes and extended the lead to 46-34. The Dubs were 47-34 heading into halftime with Curry’s 10 points in the second quarter. Sengun ended the half with 16 points and seven rebounds for the Rockets.
Butler and Brandin Podziemski came up with five points each as the Warriors went on a 12-4 run in the third quarter. While they had control in the first half of the game, the Rockets’ incredible defense helped them close the quarter on a 17-3 run. By the end, the Rockets cut down the deficit to nine points, and finished with 69-60.
The Rockets had managed to cut the lead down to just three points. However, Curry came up with a deep three to put the Dubs up by seven with five minutes remaining. They cut down the deficit to three points again, but failed to pull through as the visitors continued to hit shots. In the final two minutes, Warriors went on a 11-2 run and extended their lead to 95-82. Eventually, the won the game 95-85.
Also Read: What’s the Largest Margin of Victory in NBA Playoffs History?
After making a successful playoffs debut with his new team, Butler heaped praise on his teammate, Stephen Curry for his performance in the game. In the post-match interview, the six-time All-Star said,
“Like I always say, Batman comes out of nowhere. You never see him coming. Then he just falls from the sky from a building behind the door and does some incredible things.”
The 35-year-old went on to say that Curry is the key reason the side wins games. Butler, who was playing his 120th playoff game, added, “Man, he’s going to be the reason that we do win at all. We all know that. But we got to protect him at all costs.”
Apart from Curry and Butler, Podziemski tallied 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. The Rockets, on the other hand, were led by Sengun’s 26 points, nine rebounds, and one assist. Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr. finished with 11 points each for the side.
The teams will now face each other on Wednesday, April 23 in Houston in Game 2 of the series.
Also Read: Stephen Curry’s Playoff Record- What is the Three-Point King’s Win-Loss Record in NBA Playoffs?
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