The Houston Rockets secured a 115–108 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center, ending Golden State's current winning streak. The Warriors began a road trip with a loss, compounded by Stephen Curry's first-quarter exit due to right abdominal discomfort that kept him out for the remainder of the game.
Rockets set the tone from the opening tip
Houston came out firing and dominated the opening quarter 35–20, racing out to an early 15-point lead. Curry had grabbed his abdomen after hitting a three-pointer and visibly labored toward the tunnel. His absence stripped the Warriors of their most important offensive player — one who had been averaging 30.6 points per game this season while shooting 45.7 percent from three-point range.
The home team pressed its advantage effectively throughout the opening period. Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün formed Houston's starting lineup, while Golden State opened with Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos and Draymond Green.
Golden State fights back
The Warriors responded in the second quarter, outscoring Houston 31–21 to trim the deficit to five at halftime, 56–51. Despite the early hole, Golden State remained competitive and, without Curry, leaned more heavily on Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg to shoulder the offensive load.
Houston maintained its lead after the break, edging the third quarter 29–28 to extend its advantage to six points. Alperen Şengün was particularly effective in stabilizing the offense, operating as a playmaker from the high post and repeatedly involving his teammates in the flow of the game.
Rockets hold firm in the fourth quarter
In the fourth quarter, the Rockets gave the Warriors no room to mount a run. Houston took the final period 30–29 and saw out the win with a composed closing stretch, handing Golden State a defeat. The victory fit a strong home pattern for the Rockets, who had entered the game with five wins from six home outings.
Alperen Şengün was Houston's most complete performer, finishing with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for a double-double. Kevin Durant added 20 points, four rebounds and five assists. Amen Thompson contributed 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Fred VanVleet chipped in with 18 points, two rebounds and six assists. Jabari Smith Jr. posted 14 points and eight rebounds, and Reed Sheppard added 13 points.
For Golden State, Yaxel Lendeborg led the scoring with 25 points and hauled in 10 rebounds for a double-double of his own. Brandin Podziemski finished with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Warriors connected on 17 three-pointers from 51 attempts, while Houston made 13 from 36. The Rockets also recorded 26 assists and seven steals.
With the win, the Houston Rockets snapped the Warriors' streak in a game whose course had been shaped from the outset by a dominant first quarter and Curry's early departure.
