The Houston Rockets didn’t need a perfect night to get what they wanted from Wednesday’s matchup with Golden State. They just needed enough, and once Stephen Curry exited in the first quarter and never returned, Houston had the opening it needed to finish off a 115-108 win over the shorthanded Warriors.
It still got tighter than the Rockets probably wanted. Golden State hung around and made a couple of late pushes in the fourth quarter, but without Curry the Warriors couldn’t quite generate enough offense to catch Houston down the stretch. The result pushed the Rockets to 9-3 on the season and back up to third in the Western Conference.
Kevin Durant led Houston with 20 points, and every Rockets starter finished in double figures. Alperen Sengun came one assist short of a triple-double, putting up 19 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists while going 8-for-14 from the field.
Amen Thompson matched him with 19 points of his own, giving Houston the kind of offensive showing it has been waiting for from him. Thompson shot 8-for-11 and added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and 2 blocks.
Fred VanVleet scored 18 points and handed out 6 assists, while Jabari Smith Jr. added 14 points and 8 rebounds.
Reed Sheppard gave the Rockets a lift off the bench with 13 points on 3-for-6 shooting from three-point range. After that, the reserves didn’t provide much.
Tari Eason finished 2-for-11, and Marcus Smart was ejected in the third quarter after throwing a punch. Sheppard then helped cover Smart’s minutes in the fourth.
Houston’s efficiency told the story. The Rockets shot 51 percent from the field and held Golden State to 41 percent.
They also controlled the paint, outscoring the Warriors 50-34 inside. The one area that kept the game from opening up was the three-point line, where Golden State launched 51 attempts and made 17, while Houston went 13-for-36.
That long-range volume is part of Houston’s own evolution this season. The Rockets are up to 34.2 three-point attempts per game, compared with 31.5 last season, and their accuracy has climbed to 37.5 percent from 36.4 percent. Even so, games like this can still tighten up when the opponent gets up that many threes.
Houston now turns to Friday night, when it hosts the Utah Jazz.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Let Another Rockets Discipline Problem Boil Over
Marcus Smarts latest flashpoint came in a tense stretch of the game against Golden State, when the veteran guard was tossed after things got physical with Charles Bassey. The confrontation erupted late in the third quarter and ended with Smart throwing a punch that missed, but the officials had already seen enough to send him straight to the locker room.
For Houston, it was another reminder of how quickly discipline issues can tilt a night off course. Bassey did not hide his frustration afterward, calling Smart dirty and questioning his toughness, and the league now has a decision to make on a play that went beyond ordinary playoff-style edge and into something that could carry a real cost. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Faces A Huge Chance To Answer Rockets Doubts
Amen Thompsons season has been a little harder to pin down than the early hype suggested. The Rockets still value his size, speed and versatility, but his defensive impact has slipped and his offense has not been as efficient, leaving more room for questions about how quickly he is settling into a bigger role. Opposing guards and wings have had their moments against him lately, with LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker and Jamal Murray all finding success in recent matchups.
Now comes a chance that can swing the conversation back in his favor. Houston is about to see Thompson tested in a marquee defensive assignment, the kind of assignment that can either reinforce the doubts or remind everyone why the Rockets are so intrigued by his upside. If he can handle the challenge, it would give his season a badly needed lift and offer a cleaner answer to the uneven stretch he has been working through. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Injury Situation Just Made This Rockets Test Feel Different
The Warriors arrive in Houston to open a five-game road trip with both teams sitting at 8-3, and the matchup already has a little extra weight because of how well each side has been playing. Golden State brings an eight-game winning streak into the building, while the Rockets are coming off a win over the Denver Nuggets, setting up a meeting that feels more like an early measuring stick than a routine November game.
Injuries are part of the backdrop, too, with several names on both sides popping up on the report and changing the feel of the night before tipoff. For Houston, the frontcourt picture is especially worth watching, and Golden States own uncertainty adds another layer to a game that could look a lot different depending on who is actually available when the ball goes up. [Read more 🡒]