A stunning performance from Buddy Hield has led the Golden State Warriors to a 103-89 Game 7 victory over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on Sunday.
In a defensive-minded game where both teams often struggled to score, Hield was the difference with an extraordinary playoff career-high 33 points as the Warriors advanced to the second-round where they'll face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Buddy Hield delivered a shock performance in Game 7
With Stephen Curry limited to just three first-half points, Hield took advantage of all the defensive attention thrown at the 2x MVP. The veteran sharpshooter drilled six threes and had 22 first-half points, lifting Golden State to a 51-39 lead that they never relinquished.
Hield also had some important baskets in the fourth as the Rockets made their push, with the 32-year-old's 33-points coming on 12-of-15 shooting and 9-of-11 from 3-point range. His nine made threes tied an NBA record for triples in a Game 7, matching former Warrior Donte DiVincenzo.
It was also Hield's first 30-point game of the entire season, and the first time he's had more than 22 points since December 8 against the team the Warriors will now play in the Timberwolves.
Despite Hield's brilliance, the Rockets cut a 15-point third-quarter deficit to only three late in the period. Young star Amen Thompson threatened to have a breakout performance for Houston with a team-high 24 points and nine rebounds to lead the comeback, but it was bound to be Hield's night as Golden State steadied with a 12-2 run to push the lead back to 13 by early in the fourth.
Curry had been subdued through the first three-quarters from a scoring perspective, yet came alive in the fourth with some huge shots to finish with 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in the 14-point win.
Jimmy Butler wasn't overly dominant either offensively, but the 6x All-Star still had 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while bailing his team out on multiple offensive possessions. Draymond Green also had 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks, with the Warriors only getting three total points from their bench.
It was the defensive end where Golden State got it done though, starting with Green who did an expert job on Alperun Segun as the young Rockets big shot just 9-of-23 from the floor. Houston had little answer to the Warrior zone defense, shooting just 40.5% from the floor and 33.3% from 3-point range -- numbers which were boosted a little in the final minutes when the game was over.
There will be little time for celebration on the Warriors side as they now have a short turnaround to face the Timberwolves in Game 1 at Target Center on Tuesday.