Image Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Rockets vs. Warriors: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson Lead Houston to Game 5 Blowout Over Golden State

Image Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors had the series in their hands going into game 5 against the Rockets. However, the visitors failed to capitalize on that and let Houston dominate the game, making the NBA Rockets vs. Warriors Playoffs series even more interesting.

The Warriors were having momentum after a blockbuster win in game 4. But the Houston Rockets took their home court to their strength in this game. They made a strong start, which was not surprising as Houston has mostly led the first phase of all the Rockets vs. Warriors games in the series.

However, this time it was different as the home side didn’t give any breathing room to their opponent. With precision scoring that nears 70 percent, the Houston Rockets took a 40-24 lead by the end of the first quarter. Warriors were usually having a bad day at shooting, which made things worse.

Warriors: 1 FTs
Rockets: 13 FTs

The refs left the bias setting on max 😭 pic.twitter.com/tgWaUSQRiy
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) May 1, 2025

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The Rockets vs. Warriors game continued the same trend into the second quarter, with Golden State falling further behind. At halftime, they were trailing the Houston Rockets by 27 points with a 25-36 score. Coach Steve Kerr decided to fold and rested his starters in the second half.

Houston Rockets Inches Closer to Series Comeback

The Rockets’ starters had a field day, which is why coach Ime Udoka continued playing his first 5 despite Warriors withdrawing theirs. Surprisingly, Golden State’s bench responded well to the opportunity they were given. They reduced the 27 point deficit significantly in the last two quarters.

Moses Moody hit 25 points and collected 9 rebounds in 26 minutes of action, while Kevin Knox scored 14 points. Pat Spencer, who has been a revelation in the playoffs for the Warriors managed to put up 11 points in 14 minutes. But these figures were not very effective in front of the home side’s starters.

Fred VanVleet continued his fine run from beyond the arc, scoring 4-6 and finishing with a team high 26 points. While Amen, Thompson turned around big time after his poor run throughout the Rockets vs. Warriors series. He scored 25 points and hit 8-12 FGs. Dillon Brooks added 24 points, while Sengun hit 15.