Warriors Beat Rockets in OT Thriller
Golden State edged Houston 135-130 in overtime in a high-scoring thriller Thursday night. The Warriors showed resilience after the Rockets mounted a late comeback, with clutch baskets in the extra period sealing the win. San Antonio also beat Detroit 121-117, while Denver topped the Lakers 119-113.
The Golden State Warriors were significantly understaffed in their overtime victory, missing starters Stephen Curry (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness). This was Curry's 12th consecutive game on the sidelines due to his knee issue. The team was also without Jimmy Butler, who was ruled out for the season in January. Brandin Podziemski led the charge for the Warriors with 26 points and nine rebounds, while De'Anthony Melton added 23 points. For the Rockets, rookie Reed Sheppard was the game's high scorer with 30 points, including six three-pointers. Kevin Durant contributed 23 points for Houston. The game saw a dramatic finish in regulation. A three-pointer from Al Horford put the Warriors up 101-99 with 45.2 seconds left, but Alperen Sengun tied it up with his third basket in the final two minutes to force overtime. A critical and controversial foul call against Kevin Durant in the final seconds was overturned after a successful challenge by the Rockets. In the final minute of overtime, with the Warriors leading by three, Kevin Durant was fouled on a three-point attempt but missed the crucial third free throw that would have tied the game. De'Anthony Melton then secured the win for Golden State with a tip-in layup with just 5.3 seconds remaining. The loss dropped the Rockets to a 38-23 record on the season. This also continued their struggles in overtime games, with their record in extra-period contests falling to 1-6.
