WARRIORS DOWN ROCKETS
Rockets bench sparks comeback but can’t overcome Warriors
Feb 14, 2025, 2:19 pm
Warriors defeat the Rockets, 105-98. Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images.
Stephen Curry scored 27 points and the Golden State Warriors withstood a late surge by the Houston Rockets for a 105-98 victory Thursday night.
The Warriors were clinging to a two-point lead before using a 11-2 run to make it 102-91 with about two minutes remaining. A highlight of that spurt came when Curry juked Jeff Green before swishing a 3-pointer and Jimmy Butler wowed the visitor’s bench with a two-handed dunk about a minute later.
Golden State led by as many as 24, and frustrated with the poor performance of his starters, Houston coach Ime Udoka benched Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Dillon Brooks to start the fourth quarter. The team’s backups keyed a 16-6 run that cut the lead to 88-86 with seven minutes left.
Nate Williams, who was playing in just his sixth game this season, had seven points in that stretch.
Udoka never re-inserted the three starters. Aaron Holiday led the Rockets by tying a career high with 25 points as Houston lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Takeaways
Warriors: Butler has played well in his first few games with Golden State and should only get more comfortable with his new team after the break.
Rockets: Houston’s stars must play better after the break if the team wants to stay in contention in the Western Conference and make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Key moment
Curry’s 3-pointer over Jeff Green during Golden State’s run that put away the game.
Key stat
Butler finished with 19 points after scoring at least 20 in his first three games since a trade from Miami.
Up next
The Rockets resume play after the All-Star break when they host the Timberwolves on Feb. 21. The Warriors visit the Kings that night.
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Luis Severino struck out eight in seven innings and Luis Urias homered to lead the Athletics to a 5-2 victory over the AL West-leading Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Severino (4-11) allowed four hits and two earned runs as the A’s snapped a four-game skid. Mason Miller earned his 20th save.
Urias hit his eighth homer in the sixth inning and finished with two hits. Nick Kurtz went 3 for 5 with an RBI double in the two-run fourth inning. Max Schuemann also knocked in a run in the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder.
Christian Walker drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right field and Victor Caratini scored on a groundout by Cam Smith — all in the seventh inning — for the Astros, who had their four-game winning streak halted.
Jason Alexander (1-1), a former member of the Athletics who was claimed off waivers in May, allowed five earned runs and 11 hits in six innings. The 32-year-old right-hander finished with three strikeouts and two walks.
Key moment
Carlos Cortes made his MLB debut for the A’s and went 1 for 3. He had a sacrifice fly, single and scored a run.
Key stat
The Astros went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.
Up Next
Athletics LHP Jeffery Springs (8-7) will go in the second game of the four-game series. The Astros have not announced a starter.