On a dramatic Monday night in San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 109-106 to take a crucial 3-1 lead in their Western Conference first-round series. The game was a roller coaster ride, with 11 lead changes and a lot of physical play that resulted in numerous technical fouls and heated moments. Draymond Green, a key figure in the Warriors lineup, spent much of the game on the bench due to foul trouble, but made a vital impact at the key moment.
A High Intensity Match
The clash between the Warriors and Rockets lived up to the intensity of the series so far. Jimmy Butler returned to action for Houston after suffering a coccyx injury in Game 2. Although he got off to a sluggish start, Butler shined in the final quarter, scoring 27 total points, most of them in crunch time.
The Rockets leaned heavily on young center Alperen Şengün during the second half, especially with Green sidelined after picking up five personal fouls and nearly getting ejected for a combination of a technical and flagrant foul. However, when Green returned late in the fourth quarter, he made the play of the night.
With Houston trailing by three points and less than 10 seconds on the clock, Şengün tried to attack Green in isolation. Green stood his ground, forcing Şengün into a difficult, contested hook shot that missed. Butler swooped in to grab a vital rebound, was fouled and calmly scored two free throws to seal Golden State's victory.
In the final minute, another pivotal moment occurred when Dillon Brooks fouled Butler on a desperation three-point attempt. Butler, under heavy pressure and with the clock running down, was awarded three free throws and made all of them, giving the Warriors just enough breathing room to seal the game.
With a 3-1 series lead, the Warriors will travel to Houston with three chances to clinch the series. However, they are aware of the challenge that awaits them. In their last championship run, Golden State struggled to knock off an opponent in similar circumstances during an away Game 5.
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Warriors Neutralize Jalen Green
One of the main reasons for the Warriors' success in Game 4 was their relentless defensive focus on Houston point guard Jalen Green. From the outset, Golden State applied full-court pressure, with Buddy Hield harassing Green nearly 27 yards from the basket, forcing two early turnovers. Gary Payton II picked up the assignment later and continued the aggressive approach.
Whenever Green was able to get past his initial defender, he faced constant traps, double-teams and blitzes, which disrupted his rhythm and forced him to lose the ball. Rockets coach Ime Udoka expressed frustration with his team's inability to take advantage of the resulting four-on-three opportunities.
Unfortunately for Houston, his struggles continued in the fourth game, leading Udoka to bench Green earlier than usual during the third quarter. Even when Green returned in the final quarter, he failed to hit a field goal and was eventually subbed out for the final minutes.
Although Fred VanVleet, Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson tried to push the comeback by attacking the Warriors' defense, it wasn't enough to overcome Golden State's discipline, timely scoring runs and the Rockets' persistent free throw shooting woes.
Now on the brink of elimination, the Rockets return home to unfamiliar territory: a second seed trying to avoid a first-round exit.
