The Golden State Warriors face a win-or-go-home scenario Sunday in Houston, playing Game 7 against the Rockets after squandering a 3-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round playoff series. The series is tied 3-all, with Golden State losing the last two games.
Veterans Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, core players from past championship teams, are under scrutiny following the recent losses. The situation mirrors the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Warriors lost a 3-1 lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry and Green were key figures in that series as well.
The Rockets have seen strong performances from players like Fred VanVleet, who shot well from outside in Games 4, 5, and 6, and Alperen Sengun. Sengun challenged Green in Game 4, and despite that moment, has played well in subsequent games, averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists over the last two contests. Steven Adams also provided a lift off the bench for Houston in Game 6.
Golden State’s supporting cast has struggled in recent games. Buddy Hield, inserted into the starting lineup, had zero points in Game 6. Gary Payton II finished with a -12 plus-minus in Game 6. Quinten Post also had a quiet offensive performance. Jimmy Butler, who joined the Warriors midseason, guaranteed a victory in Game 7 after the Game 6 loss. Butler told reporters, "I know we're definitely gonna win together come Sunday.”
Curry dealt with a sore thumb late in the series and shot under 40% in the last two losses. He went scoreless in the fourth quarter of Game 6. However, Curry has a history of high-scoring Game 7 performances, including a 50-point game against the Kings two seasons ago and victories over the Thunder in 2016 and the Rockets in 2018.
Green's performance has also been inconsistent. In the last two games, he recorded six turnovers, matching his totals for rebounds and baskets. He has been hesitant to shoot even when open. While Green had a strong statistical showing in the 2016 Finals Game 7, it was overshadowed by plays from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Green missed that series' Game 5 due to suspension after accumulating too many technical fouls in the postseason.
Coach Steve Kerr expressed confidence in his team's ability to win Sunday. The winner of the series will advance to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, with that series opening Tuesday.
The outcome of this Game 7 carries weight not only for who advances in the playoffs but also for shaping perceptions of the Warriors' aging core and impacting potential movement in the NBA standings for the next season depending on how teams finish.
The pressure is particularly high on Curry and Green to deliver after the lead slipped away. Another 3-1 collapse would add a difficult chapter to their shared history.
Curry acknowledged the stakes following Game 6. "If you don’t show up with that appropriate mentality, then you got a long summer vacation ahead of you."
