HOUSTON (AP) — With a chance to close out their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors, the Houston Rockets instead delivered a playoff flop to end their season Sunday night.
The Rockets won consecutive games to claw back from a 3-1 deficit and force a Game 7 but played their worst game of the series to be sent packing with a 103-89 loss.
“We had our chances in this series,” coach Ime Udoka said. “We all expected to continue to be playing so it’s a letdown. It’s going to sting now but use it as motivation and let’s all come back better. Don’t be satisfied.”
Houston won 52 games to capture the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and return to the postseason for the first time since 2020. The seven seed Warriors eliminated the Rockets in the playoffs for a fifth time after doing so four times between 2015 and 2019.
“We had whatever amount of wins and second place and all that, but nobody cares about that right now,” Udoka said. “It’s about where we finished.”
Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and Buddy Hield made nine 3-pointers and finished with 33 points to lead Golden State to the win.
Hield was 9 of 11 from 3-point range, setting an NBA record for a Game 7 and making more 3s than the Rockets, who were 6 of 18 from long range.
They didn’t lead after the first quarter and allowed Curry to get going in the second half to put the game away after Hield carried the team in first two quarters.
Fred Vleet scored a combined 55 points in the last two games to help Houston extend the series. But he was limited to 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting Sunday as the Rockets were sent home early.
He was far from the only Rockets player who struggled. Big man Alperen Sengun had 21 points and 14 rebounds. But he missed several easy shots on a 9-of-23 night.
Despite the loss, Sengun was proud to see the growth of the team which won just 22 games in the 2022-23 season.
“We learned how to play together,” he said. “We talk every day. It was a hard series for us. Obviously, we’re upset right now, but it’s going to be a great offseason for us and it’s going to make us better next year.”
Jalen Green, who had 38 points to lead Houston to a Game 2 win, finished with eight points.
“First playoffs is no excuse,” he said. “I’ve got to be better.”
Green, who was the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, was criticized during this series for not doing more to lead the team after scoring fewer than 10 points in four of the seven games.
But VanVleet took up for his teammate.
“Everybody’s journey is different,” he said. “The weight of the world seems to be on his shoulders at times, but he played well. We knew they were going to load up on him. On the path to greatness, there’s going to be stumbles and failures.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press
