Injury-depleted Warriors secure overtime victory over Rockets
HOUSTON — In the hours preceding the Golden State Warriors’ unexpected 115-113 overtime victory in Houston on Thursday night, their sidelined star, Stephen Curry, sent a message of support to their remaining key player, Draymond Green.
“Keep going,” Green shared regarding Curry’s message. “I understand it’s challenging, but I assure you, I’m coming back.”
Jimmy Butler suffered a torn right ACL in January and is out for the remainder of the season. Kristaps Porzingis has been absent for six straight games due to an illness. Curry remains sidelined indefinitely due to a persistent right knee issue.
This amounts to $144.4 million in player salaries on the bench as the Warriors have recently fallen to a 4-8 record over a 12-game span, placing them six games behind the sixth seed and a guaranteed playoff position.
Thursday’s road victory against the heavily favored Rockets did not significantly change their circumstances. They remain at 32-30 and are lacking a significant portion of their offensive strength as they face a challenging schedule ahead in Oklahoma City on ABC this Saturday night.
However, Green referred to the win as a necessary “morale boost” during a difficult period for the franchise, prompting a second wave of communication from Curry, who sent Green a text after watching the game from California.
“A bunch of exclamation marks,” Green described Curry’s note. “Y’all did that.”
Third-year guard Brandin Podziemski led the team in scoring, finishing with 26 points, which included a 3-pointer and a driving dunk in overtime to create the needed separation.
“I thought that was Brandin’s best game of the season,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr stated.
The Warriors, missing three other injured rotation players, utilized three two-way players (LJ Cryer, Nate Williams, and Malevy Leons) for significant minutes off the bench. De’Anthony Melton contributed 23 points and secured the win with a floater.
Much of the postgame recognition in the locker room was directed towards the interior defense provided by Green and Al Horford. Green was tasked with guarding Kevin Durant, while Horford defended Alperen Sengun during critical moments, and the veteran frontcourt duo helped secure the victory.
“Vintage Draymond,” Kerr remarked. “The defense, the leadership, the force, the passing.”
Durant struggled to shake Green to receive the ball on several crucial possessions, and Horford held his ground against Sengun, who converted only one of his four overtime attempts.
“I am pleased that we were able to demonstrate that we can play together and be effective down the stretch,” Horford commented.
Both Kerr and Green noted that the win carried a nostalgic quality due to its location. In their extensive playoff history, they have concluded three series (2018, 2019, 2025) in Houston.
“This is a good building for us,” Kerr said, expressing that it felt like a playoff victory. “A lot of good memories in that locker room.”
Curry was not present to celebrate in person with the Warriors, but he made his digital presence known as he works to rehabilitate his knee injury in hopes of returning to help the Warriors regain their competitive status this season.
“My confidence level is high, ultimately, because I know [Curry]’s going to put in all the work and do everything he can to get back,” Green stated. “If his body permits him to return, I know he will. He doesn’t want to just shut it down. For us, we just need to stay afloat. Nobody expects us to go on a 10-game winning streak, but we just have to stay afloat. Tonight’s a significant step towards that.”
