With Jimmy Butler sidelined and a new-look starting lineup, things got off to a rocky start for the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 against the Houston Rockets on Saturday evening at Chase Center. With the series tied at 1-1, the Rockets landed the opening haymaker in San Francisco.
After a cold start on offense for the Warriors, the Rockets surged to a 13-point lead midway through the second quarter. However, the Warriors responded before the halftime whistle. Prior to entering the locker room at halftime, the Warriors went on a 9-0 run, cutting Houston’s advantage down to only three.
Their late run in the second quarter sparked Golden State for the remainder of the contest. In the second half, the Warriors outscored Houston by 14 points on their way to a critical win in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
With Butler ruled out due to a pelvic injury, Steph Curry took over for the Warriors on Saturday. Curry dropped 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the field with five made triples to go along with nine assists and seven boards in 41 minutes. Curry caught fire in the second half, scoring 21 of his game-high 36 points in the final two quarters.
The Warriors also got key contributions from Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II off the bench. Hield drilled five triples on the way to 17 points off the bench in 29 minutes. Hield finished with +14 to lead the Warriors off the bench.
Payton II added 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field with three rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes. Payton II led the Warriors in the fourth quarter with 11 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. In the final 30 seconds, Payton II slammed down a dunk to help put the Rockets away in Golden State’s 104-93 win on Saturday night.
The Warriors will have the chance to capitalize on on their 2-1 lead with another home game on the schedule for Game 4 on Monday. Butler will get another day to rest his pelvic injury before Game 4 on Monday in San Francisco.
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