Warriors could blow 3-1 series lead after Rockets force Game 7

Fred VanVleet had 29 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds, Alperen Sengun contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets kept their play live by beating the Golden State Warriors 115-107 connected Friday nighttime and forcing a deciding Game 7 successful their first-round playoff series.

Golden State went acold erstwhile it mattered most: The Warriors missed 13 consecutive shots betwixt Draymond Green's handbasket with 10:12 near and a 3-pointer by Stephen Curry astatine the 3:35 mark.

Now, everybody volition get backmost connected an airplane and caput to Houston for Game 7 connected Sunday for a accidental to conscionable well-rested Minnesota successful the Western Conference semifinals. That's precisely what the Warriors were hoping to debar with a accidental to clinch astatine location successful Chase Center.

Curry scored 29 points but changeable 9 of 23, going 6 for 16 from deep. Jimmy Butler added 27 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.

VanVleet converted a four-point play to commencement the 4th fourth aft the Warriors had pulled wrong 2 with Curry's flurry to extremity the third. Jalen Green scored the adjacent clip down connected a putback of his ain miss. Then, VanVleet's 3 from the apical with 6:47 remaining enactment Houston up 101-89.

Curry's driving layup with 39 seconds near successful the 3rd made it a four-point game, firing up the location assemblage successful agleam yellowish playoff shirts with matching rally towels. He past made 2 escaped throws arsenic the Warriors pulled wrong 86-84.

But the Warriors couldn't support it going. With a balanced effort connected some ends — including 17 points and hustle plays by large antheral Steven Adams disconnected the seat — Houston had an reply astir each clip Golden State threatened oregon made a large play.

The Warriors led 3-1 successful the bid but fell down successful a hurry successful a 131-116 Game 5 nonaccomplishment Wednesday nighttime arsenic Houston’s discourtesy rolled aft averaging 98 points done the archetypal 4 games of the series.

VanVleet was superb again. He changeable 7 for 13 from the level aft consecutive games going 8 for 13, and helium converted each 9 of his escaped throws to enactment him astatine 21 for 27 implicit the past 3 games astatine the line.

Draymond Green passed Isiah Thomas (987) for 15th spot connected the NBA playoff assists database and present has 992.

Draymond Green picked up an violative foul astatine the 8:53 people of the archetypal 4th for shoving Jalen Green. The play went to reappraisal and the foul was determined to beryllium a flagrant-1. But aft 2 consecutive games with dustups, some teams stayed poised.

The Warriors dropped to 27-11 since Butler's debut connected Feb. 8 pursuing his commercialized from Miami.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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