Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) lands on his back after making a three point shot against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Nov 20, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (7-8) knew they would face a tough opponent, the Houston Rockets (6-6), on Monday night. Under coach Ime Udoka, the former Boston Celtic coach the Warriors beat in the 2022 finals, the Rockets have assembled a team hoping to make the playoffs this year.

The Rockets started two players that are six feet eleven inches tall—Rookie Jabari Smith and second-year player Alperen Sengun. Smith is 20 years old and is averaging 12.2 points per game. Sengun, from Turkey, is 21 years old and is averaging 20 points a game.

The Rockets added Dillon Brooks from the Memphis Grizzlies. Brooks is a tough customer and likes to play in the same style as the Warriors Draymond Green. Shooting Jalen Green is another young player. Green is 21 years old and puts 16 points on the board in every game.

The Rockets signed the veteran guard Fred VanVleet. VanVleet gave the Warriors fits in the 2019 NBA Finals when the Raptors won their first NBA Championship.

The Warriors were smarting from their sixth loss in a row as they were beaten in overtime by the OKC Thunder last Saturday night. The Warriors needed a win, which they got as they defeated the Rockets 121-116.

Both teams played well in the first quarter. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 12 points in the period. Thompson made three threes and looked like his former self. The Warriors made six threes in the quarter. In addition, the Thompson’s three, Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, and Dario Saric each connected on a three. The Warriors finished the quarter leading by two, 29-27.

The Warriors continued to make three in the second quarter. They outscored the Rockets 34-26 to finish the first half leading 63-53. Thompson did not score in the quarter. Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Saric, and Jonathan Kuminga were instrumental in giving the Warriors the ten point advantage at the end of the first 24 minutes of action.

The teams played a very competitive third quarter. The Warriors won the period by a single point to increase the lead to 11, 92-81. The Warriors point guard, Chris Paul, helped by scoring ley buckets in the period. The Warriors knew the Rockets would not go away. They expected the Rocket’s onslaught in the fourth quarter and were up to the task. 

The Warriors increased the lead to 100-87 when Curry made another three. The Rockets came back but could not get closer than ten points. The Rockets cut the deficit to seven, but Saric made a bucket to increase the lead to nine, 117-108. The clock was not on the Rockets’ side. The Warriors held on to win, 121-116.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors snapped their six-game losing streak and improved to 7-8. The Rockets lost their third straight and are now 6-6.

The Warriors had five players in double-figures. Curry led the Warriors with 32 points. Curry made five threes. Curry continued to make Warrior history. Curry has played more minutes in a Warrior uniform than any other player. Curry broke Nate Thurmond’s record for most minutes played by a Warrior.

Curry set another NBA mark as he made four or more threes in 14 consecutive games. Thompson scored 20 points for the first time this season. Thompson, like Curry, made five threes. Paul had a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists. Paul made three threes. Saric, coming off the bench, tallied 18 points. Saric also made three threes. Wiggins put 12 points on the board, and he made two threes.

The Warriors took 18 shots less than the Rockets. They were 47% from the floor, and as a team, the Warriors made 21 threes in 43 attempts. 

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets. The big man from the Turkish Republic had a double-double with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Sengun also had five assists, and he knocked down two threes. Sengun is making a name for himself in the NBA this year. Rookie Jabari Smit also had a double-double. Smith scored 17 and had ten rebounds. Dillon Brooks added 16, Jalen Green, 16, and VanVleet, ten. 

The Warriors bench outscored The Rockets’ bench 37-27. Saric was one of the reasons the Warriors won the game.

The Warriors meet the Suns in Phoenix on Wednesday night. The Suns will have all three of the stars Available. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker will be looking to send the Warriors down to defeat. The game starts at 6 P.M.