Stephen Curry Drops 30 Points as Warriors Rout Rockets 113-87

Bob Levey/Associated Press

The Golden State Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak and climbed back to .500 on the year with a 113-87 victory at the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Two days after Houston sophomore Kevin Porter Jr. poured in 50 points on 26 shots, the dynamic guard was held to just 16 as Warriors star Stephen Curry notched 30 points in 30 minutes to finish off a three-game season sweep of their Western Conference rivals.

A third-quarter blitz saw Curry drop 23 points in the frame alone amid a 39-12 run that gave head coach Steve Kerr's club total control of the game.

As Golden State (32-32) continues to battle for a spot in the play-in tournament, Saturday's win guarantees the Warriors will maintain a three-game lead over the New Orleans Pelicans for the No. 10 seed—representing the final spot in the tourney.

The Rockets meanwhile, drop to 16-48 as they continue to emphasize providing minutes to young players amid a rebuild.

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Notable Performers

Stephen Curry, PG, Golden State Warriors: 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 7-of-17 FG3

Andrew Wiggins, SF, Golden State Warriors: 20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Christian Wood, C, Houston Rockets: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists

Kevin Porter Jr., SG, Houston Rockets: 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds

Curry's Joy Sparks Golden State

It's safe to say Curry wasn't having much fun during the first half of Saturday's action. 

The sharp-shooter was anything but, going 2-of-12 from the field with just seven points at the break as Golden State trailed 55-49.

One monster corner three changed everything with Curry letting out a primal roar and immediately waking up his teammates.   

"We just needed to bring a little joy," Curry said when asked about the moment on the ESPN broadcast. "It’s been tough trying to create consistency. It’s been tough having guys out of the lineup. … When we bring joy, and I’ve got to lead that, good things happen."

Good things like a 24-0 run over five minutes that completely changed the look and feel of the game. 

Curry dropped 23 of his 30 points in the third quarter as the Rockets went from playing postseason spoiler to over-matched opponent. It had the look and feel of a run the Warriors would've made during the height of their dynasty with Curry splashing threes, Draymond Green gobbling up defensive rebounds (11) and Andrew Wiggins providing enough secondary scoring to keep the Rockets at bay. 

With Golden State clinging to the No. 10 seed, a loss to a rebuilding Houston club might've been the type of missed opportunity that kept the Warriors from returning to the playoffs. 

Instead, Curry let the joy flow and carried his team to another vital victory. 

Rockets Miss Chance To Play Spoiler

Had Houston been able to hang on for the win on Saturday, the Rockets may have helped keep the Warriors out of the postseason for a second consecutive season.

It won't be their last chance to mess with the playoff picture before the end of the year, however. 

The Rockets have multiple games coming up that could end up significantly altering the postseason field if they're able to pull off a win. For a rebuilding club already eliminated from playoff contention, it's about as high-stakes a scenario as Houston could ask for. 

The next opportunity comes on Sunday with the New York Knicks in town and clinging to a 1.5 game lead over both the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and guaranteed home-court advantage for at least the first round—the Rockets end their season at Atlanta as well.

The Knicks contest is immediately followed by the Philadelphia 76ers visiting Toyota Center on Wednesday with Joel Embiid & Co. just 0.5 games back of the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 1 overall seed in the East. A similar situation in the West awaits the Rockets the following week as they prepare to visit a Utah Jazz club tied for first with the Phoenix Suns next Saturday.

Finally, Houston has a chance to keep the Portland Trail Blazers from securing an automatic berth in the first round of the postseason and send them to the play-in tournament with a win on May 10. The Blazers are 0.5 games back of the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 6 seed as of Saturday. 

What's Next?

The Warriors head to New Orleans for two crucial back-to-back games against the Pelicans beginning Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN before returning home for six games to close out the regular season. Houston, meanwhile, hosts the surging New York Knicks on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.