Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Dec 12, 2024 12:38 am

Rockets grab late lead vs. Warriors, reach NBA Cup semifinal

Warriors, Rockets

Jalen Green sank two free throws with 3.5 seconds left to help the Houston Rockets pull out a 91-90 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in an NBA Cup quarterfinal.

The Rockets snapped a 15-game series skid to the Warriors and advanced to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas, where they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.

Green emerged from a scrum with the ball after a foul on Jonathan Kuminga. After Green converted both attempts, Brandin Podziemski had his 3-point attempt blocked by Jabari Smith Jr. Podziemski and Kuminga sank consecutive 3s earlier in the fourth to stretch the Golden State lead to 89-82, its largest of the game.

Alperen Sengun paced the Rockets with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. His layup with 27 seconds sliced the deficit to 90-89. Smith added 15 points and Green 12 for the Rockets, who won despite missing 21 of 27 3-pointers and committing 17 turnovers.

Kuminga led the Warriors with 20 points and seven rebounds. Stephen Curry added 19 points and five assists. Golden State committed 22 turnovers which Houston converted into 30 points.

The Warriors’ 32-point third quarter shifted momentum squarely in their corner. Kuminga converted a second-chance basket following a pair of offensive rebounds before Curry scored through a foul to cut the deficit to 57-55. When Trayce Jackson-Davis hit two free throws at the 3:54 mark of the third, the Warriors had their first lead since the first quarter at 60-59.

After missing 18 of 22 3s in the first half, the Warriors hit 4 of 8 from deep in the third. Buddy Hield had 11 points in the period and nailed three 3s, becoming the 17th player in NBA history to reach 2,000 three-pointers. The Warriors led 69-68 entering the fourth.

Both defenses controlled the action in the first quarter. After Dillon Brooks’ three-point play gave the Rockets an 18-15 lead at the 4:25 mark of the period, neither team scored again until Curry drilled a 3-pointer with 60 seconds left that pulled the Warriors even. The Rockets carried a 20-18 lead into the second.

When the Rockets carved out a 40-26 lead on an Amen Thompson second-chance dunk with 4:14 left in the half, the Warriors responded with an 11-2 blitz.

The Rockets led 44-37 at the half. The Warriors replied with their customary third-quarter magic.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

magic, jazz
Jan 5, 2025 9:25 pm

Brice Sensabaugh shines as Jazz top Magic

Brice Sensabaugh scored 27 points off the bench as the short-handed Utah Jazz earned their second straight victory following a five-game losing streak, beating the host Orlando Magic 105-92 on…

jake diebler
Jan 5, 2025 9:15 pm

Ohio State out to keep Minnesota winless in Big Ten play

In the wake of a loss, Ohio State coach Jake Diebler gathered his players for a film session. But Diebler wanted to do more than just point out the Buckeyes’…

cavaliers
Jan 5, 2025 8:58 pm

Cavaliers handle slumping Hornets for 10th straight win

Darius Garland scored 25 points and Jarrett Allen posted a double-double as the Cleveland Cavaliers won their 10th straight game with a 115-105 victory over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on…

More Basketball News

magic, jazz
Jan 5, 2025 9:25 pm

Brice Sensabaugh shines as Jazz top Magic

Brice Sensabaugh scored 27 points off the bench as the short-handed Utah Jazz earned their second straight victory following a five-game losing streak, beating the host Orlando Magic 105-92 on…

jake diebler
Jan 5, 2025 9:15 pm

Ohio State out to keep Minnesota winless in Big Ten play

cavaliers
Jan 5, 2025 8:58 pm

Cavaliers handle slumping Hornets for 10th straight win

dejounte murray
Jan 5, 2025 8:42 pm

Pelicans find winning result again at lowly Wizards’ expense

paige bueckers
Jan 5, 2025 8:26 pm

Women’s Top 25 roundup: Paige Bueckers hurt in No. 7 UConn’s win

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds