The Golden State Warriors face a decisive Game 7 against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, a return trip to Houston that follows guard Buddy Hield's public remark after the Warriors' Game 5 loss earlier in the series.
After dropping Game 5 at the Toyota Center, Hield reportedly stated the team would "won’t be back" for a potential Game 7. The Rockets secured a Game 6 win, tying the best-of-seven series and ensuring the Warriors would indeed return to Houston.
Game 7 tips off Sunday night at the Toyota Center, determining which team advances in the first-round playoff series.
Heading into the win-or-go-home contest, Buddy Hield described his focus.
"I'm thinking about little things, like being solid on defense, getting rebounds and making the extra plays — those extra winning plays to help them, help us win collectively as a group," Hield told Mirror U.S. Sports.
He highlighted the experience of teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as players he would lean on in the high-stakes environment.
The Warriors lost Game 6 by a score of 115-107. While Curry scored 29 points and Jimmy Butler added 27, the rest of the Warriors starting lineup combined for only 13 points, according to The Mirror. By the numbers show Curry's scoring production dropped in the Warriors' losses compared to their wins in the series.
Green addressed the team's approach to the deciding game. "Just got to meet force with force, execute the game plan," Green said.
Curry echoed the sentiment, emphasizing composure. "We need to be composed. We need to be able to manage the emotions of the next 48 hours... have a sense of urgency on the adjustments we need to make going into the Game 7.”
