ROCKETS DEFEAT WARRIORS
Rockets advance to NBA Cup semifinals after thrilling win over Warriors
Dec 11, 2024, 11:50 pm
Rockets defeat the Warriors, 91-90. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Jalen Green made two free throws with 3.5 seconds left and the Houston Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors 91-90 on Wednesday night to advance to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.
Houston snapped a 15-game skid against the Warriors, winning for the first time in the series since Feb. 20, 2020. The Rockets will face Oklahoma City, which beat Dallas in the other West quarterfinal game on Tuesday night, in the semifinals on Saturday.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 26 points and 11 rebounds and Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points.
Houston led by 14 before falling behind late to set up the thrilling finish.
Houston trailed by six with about 1 1/2 minutes left before Fred VanVleet made a 3-pointer and Sengun added a layup with 27 seconds to go to cut the lead to one.
Stephen Curry missed a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left and Gary Payton II grabbed the rebound, but Green intercepted his pass and was fouled by Jonathan Kuminga to set up the winning free throws.
The Warriors had a chance to win it at the buzzer but Smith blocked Brandin Podziemski’s 3-point attempt.
Takeaways
Warriors: Golden State beat the Rockets twice this season without Curry before losing Wednesday in a game where he had 19 points.
Rockets: This young team showed poise in finishing this one after squandering a double-digit lead.
Key moment
Green’s hustle on getting the ball late to draw the foul to set up the winning free throws.
Key stat
Houston won despite making just 6 of 27 3-pointers.
Up next
While Houston heads to Las Vegas this weekend, the Warriors will return to regular-season play Sunday at Dallas.
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The Houston Rockets (37-24) travel to Indianapolis on Tuesday to take on the Indiana Pacers (34-25) as they aim to end their seven-game road losing streak.
Indiana has been strong at home, posting an 18-10 record while averaging 116.6 points per game. Pascal Siakam has been a key contributor, averaging 21.3 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last 10 games. Myles Turner continues to be a force in the paint, scoring 15.5 points per game while pulling down 6.5 rebounds.
Houston, despite recent road struggles, leads the Western Conference in offensive rebounding (14.6 per game). Alperen Sengun continues to anchor the Rockets’ attack, averaging 19.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Jalen Green has also provided a scoring boost, averaging 3.5 made three-pointers over his last 10 games.
Both teams have played .500 basketball or better over their last 10 games, with the Pacers going 6-4 and the Rockets sitting at 5-5. Indiana has thrived offensively, shooting 49.6% from the field during that span, while Houston has relied on its rebounding advantage to stay competitive.
Injury concerns could play a factor, with the Rockets dealing with several day-to-day absences, including Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and Dillon Brooks. The Pacers will be without Isaiah Jackson for the season, and Bennedict Mathurin’s status remains uncertain.
Houston will need to improve its shooting efficiency and limit Indiana’s fast-paced offense if it hopes to leave Indianapolis with a much-needed road victory. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.
*Assisted by ChatGPT.