Alperen and friends' season ends: Warriors close out Rockets in Game 7
After nearly blowing a 3-1 lead, the Golden State Warriors closed out the Houston Rockets 103-89 in Game 7, winning their Western Conference First Round series 4-3. Led by Buddy Hield's scoring outburst, the Warriors advance to face the Timberwolves. Alperen Sengun had a historically impressive playoff debut for Houston.
Golden State Warriors secured their passage to the Western Conference Semifinals by defeating the Houston Rockets 103-89 in a decisive Game 7 on Sunday night in Texas. The victory sealed a hard-fought 4-3 series win for the Warriors, who managed to "get the job done" after nearly squandering a commanding 3-1 series lead. Golden State will now move on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round. In the winner-take-all Game 7, Buddy Hield delivered a standout performance for the Warriors, leading the team with a game-high 33 points, fueled by hitting eight three-pointers.
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Draymond Green contributed 16 points, marking his best scoring output of the series, while Steph Curry added 17 points in the second half after facing tight defense. Jimmy Butler also played a key role in helping the Warriors close out the game. The win adds another chapter to the Warriors' playoff history against the Rockets in the Steph Curry era; Golden State is now undefeated in all five playoff series matchups against Houston, including three series-clinching victories achieved in Houston's own arena against both the James Harden-led teams and this current younger squad.
Alperen's historic effort is not enough
For the Houston Rockets, the loss marked the end of their season. Alperen Sengun, a focal point of their young core, had a statistically impressive playoff debut series, averaging 20.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game – a feat only previously accomplished by Nikola Jokic for a center in their first career playoff series. Despite Sengun's individual success, the Rockets' offense struggled in Game 7, particularly in the halfcourt against the Warriors' zone defense (1-3-1) and with their three-point shooting, hitting only six of 18 attempts.
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Alperen Sengun in the 2025 playoffs:
— Real Sports (@realapp_) May 5, 2025
20.9 PPG
11.9 RPG
5.3 APG
Joins Nikola Jokic as the only centers ever to average 20/10/5 in their first career playoff series. pic.twitter.com/acNzsUp6Bz
What's next for Rockets?
Looking ahead, the Rockets are viewed as an "unfinished product" despite showing significant improvement this season following the departure of James Harden and the subsequent rebuild. Their offseason is expected to focus substantially on improving their three-point shooting and other areas.
While a "robust internal discussion" is anticipated regarding whether to trade for a more established superstar (with potential targets like Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson, or Giannis Antetokounmpo mentioned as possibilities), the performance of players like Jalen Green in the series (averaging 13.2 points on 37.2% shooting overall and 29.5% from three, with only 6 points in Game 7) may strengthen the case for seeking outside help to accelerate their timeline. Despite falling short in the series, the Rockets demonstrated promise and are positioned to be a relevant team in the Western Conference moving forward.
