Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (L) scored 15 of his playoff career-high 38 points in the third quarter of a win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in Houston. Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE
Jalen Green scored 23 of his 38 points in the second half to power the Houston Rockets’ first playoff victory of 2025, tying their first-round series with the Golden State Warriors at 1-1.
“From the beginning my whole mindset was to go in and be aggressive and get back to being myself,” Green told reporters Wednesday in Houston.
The Warriors also lost star forward Jimmy Butler to a pelvis injury in the first quarter of the 109-94 setback. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he hoped Butler could return in the best-of-seven game series. The six-time All-Star sustained his injury during a fall about eight minutes into the game and never returned.
“Hopefully, Jimmy will be able to play,” Kerr said. “But if not, we have to go through our options and put together a plan.”
The Rockets, known for their size and physicality, dominated on the glass, out-rebounding their foes 47-33. They also held a 46-28 edge in points in the paint, led by as many as 20 points and never trailed.
Green made 13 of 25 shots, including eight 3-pointers, en route to his playoff career-high point total. The Rockets guard also had six assists, four rebounds and three steals.
“I think [his defense] kind of ignited him a little bit,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said of Green, who made just 3 of 15 shots and scored seven points in Game 1.
“He got after it there, was aggressive on both sides. We need that from him. … He bounced back on both ends.”
Green and the Rockets went on a 7-1 run off the opening tipoff and never looked back. The Rockets made 45.5% of their first 22 shots and outscored the visitors 28-18 over the first 12 minutes.
Green totaled seven points and four assists in the first quarter. Rockets center Alperen Sengun paced the Rockets with 11 points in the second quarter. The Rockets, who held a 64-46 lead at the break, outscored the Warriors 27-25 in the third. Green poured in 15 points in that frame, as the Rockets carried an 87-71 edge into the fourth.
The Warriors eventually warmed, using an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 11 with 7:16 remaining, but the Rockets answered with an 11-1 surge to balloon their lead once more.
Sengun totaled 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Rockets forwards Dillion Brooks and Tari Eason chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Butler scored just three points in his limited action. Warriors center Quinten Post and forward Moses Moody scored 12 points apiece.
Warriors star Stephen Curry totaled 20 points, nine assists and five rebounds, but also logged six turnovers.
“We got aggressive with him, went after him and tried to make some of the other guys beat us and it worked for us,” Udoka said of Curry.
The Warriors will host the Rockets in Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. EDT Thursday in San Francisco.
