Hield Inspires, Curry Robs Again in Houston

HOUSTON, MONDAY — In the do-or-die game for the Golden State Warriors, the first player to shine was neither Stephen Curry nor Jimmy Butler. The initial inspiration for victory actually came from supporting player Buddy Hield. Thanks to this assistance, Curry was able to defeat the Houston Rockets once again with greater ease.

Batman and Robin, that's the nickname for the Curry-Butler duo. Hield didn't want to lose and dubbed himself Alfred, a loyal servant who is always behind Batman. Hield wasn't kidding. He really saved Curry's legacy in game seven of the first round of the playoffs at Toyota Center Stadium, Monday (5/5/2025) morning WIB.

Hield scored 33 points in the Warriors' 103-89 win over the host Rockets. His hands were "smelly," hitting 9 of 11 three-point attempts. The guard suddenly became a hero after contributing just four points in games five and six. The Warriors advanced to the conference semifinals by winning the series 4-3.

“Yesterday, we had a really emotional team meeting. Draymond (Green), Steph and Jimmy led the meeting. From there, I was ready to go. That calmed everybody down. I just tried to be myself today,” said Hield, who set a career-high in playoff points.

The Hield explosion occurred in the first half with a record of 22 points. In the same half, Curry failed to score after missing five consecutive shots. Interestingly, the Warriors managed to lead significantly 51-39 at halftime. Hield was able to take advantage of the defensive gravity of the Rockets that was focused on Curry.

"Buddy Hield is truly remarkable," praised Curry when asked about who made a difference in the elimination game earlier. "All the players showcased their skills today. Everyone outside is talking about our execution and energy in the last two games. We countered all of that in 48 minutes. We demonstrated mental resilience," he continued.

The robbery was capped off perfectly by Curry, the antagonist for the City of Houston for the past decade. The Batman did everything it took to win. He finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a block. No player played longer than the 37-year-old, 46 minutes.

The Warriors had a 3-1 lead in this series, but then lost two consecutive games. After the defeat in Game Six at home, Curry appeared unfazed. He reassured those around him, including his son Canon, who was crying in the stands. "Hey, we still have one game on Sunday, buddy," he said to Canon.

The calmness was displayed throughout the fourth quarter. Curry scored 14 points in the final quarter. Five points were scored at the beginning of the quarter to give Coach Steve Kerr's team a double-digit lead of 75-62. His performance successfully disrupted the atmosphere of the Toyota Center, which had begun to rise at the end of the third quarter.

The result also marked an anticlimactic end to the Rockets' season. The young team, ranked second, lost to the Warriors, who held the seventh seed. The Rockets, led by two 22-year-old players, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, appeared still too "raw" to compete in elimination games.

Coach Ime Udoka's team is very talented, but the wrong opponent. As is known, Curry is known as the biggest robber in Houston City. In the Curry era, the Warriors have always won over the Rockets in five playoff series. Three series were closed at the Rockets' home, including in 2018 (seven games) and 2019 (six games).

"Chef Curry," as he is nicknamed, seems to evoke memories of a classic performance in Game Six against the Rockets in the 2018-2019 Western Conference semifinals. At that time, he also gave false hope to the home supporters. Curry failed to score in the first half, then went on to create 33 points in the second half.

Udoka stated that they missed a great opportunity right in front of them. "We hoped to continue advancing (at home), so the result is disappointing. It feels painful, but we must use it as motivation to come back stronger," he said, having also lost to the Warriors in the 2022 finals while coaching the Boston Celtics.

In addition to Hield, significant help also came from two veteran players, namely Butler (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Green (16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists). They are central figures in the Warriors' defense. Meanwhile, the Rockets struggled to score and recorded low shooting accuracy of only 40.5 percent.

The most striking difference is seen in the three-point shooting. The Warriors scored 54 points, which is more than half of their total points, through three-point shots. The Rockets produced a result three times lower, with 18 points. The home team only attempted 18 shots from beyond the arc, while the Warriors made 43 attempts.

On the Rockets' side, Thompson was the best player with 24 points and 9 rebounds. The forward sparked a comeback in the third quarter by being involved in 17 of the Rockets' 23 points. The momentum stopped after Thompson was benched early in the deciding quarter due to calf cramps.

The Warriors are already awaited by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the regional semifinals. The Timberwolves are on fire after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, who are reinforced by LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Anthony Edwards and his teammates had more rest time compared to the Warriors as they won the series in just five games. (AP)