Warriors secure Game 3 victory in pivotal outing, spearheaded by Stephen Curry amid Jimmy Butler's absence.
In San Francisco, Stephen Curry sparkled with a stellar performance, scoring 36 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing seven rebounds against the Houston Rockets. This incredible showing propelled his team, the Golden State Warriors, to a 104-93 victory, grabbing a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series. Jimmy Butler's status, suffering from a nasty pelvic and deep gluteal muscle injury in Game 2, was a hot topic of discussion. As he sat out Game 3, his cheers could be heard from the bench, decked out in a full-length fur coat.
The Warriors got valuable contributions from bench player Buddy Hield, who contributed 17 points and five 3-pointers, and Gary Payton II, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. The next showdown between these teams is Monday night at Chase Center, with the question looming over whether Butler can shake off his injury in time to join the action.
The Rockets weren't short on effort, with Fred VanVleet putting up 17 points, Alperen Sengun chipping in with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Curry passing Tony Parker to secure the 10th spot on the all-time NBA playoff points list with 4,053 points[3]**.
Despite initially struggling from three-point land, Curry found his groove in the second quarter, scoring 13 points to pull the Warriors within 49-46 at halftime. Dillon Brooks' antics off the court and on - including a foul on Amen Thompson that led to Butler's injury and criticizing Draymond Green as "dirty" - were a hot topic of conversation during the contest. While Brooks fouled out with 3:47 left, his impact on the game was undeniable.
It's worth noting that the Warriors had lost three straight at home over the final week of the regular season but managed to snag a win in the play-in game against Memphis[4]. If Butler makes a successful comeback for Game 4, Golden State may have what it takes to capture a commanding 3-1 series lead. Let the games continue!
[1] https://sportsmed.wustl.edu/sports-medicine-news/contusions/[2] https://www.nba.com/warriors/news/jimmy-butler-injury-update-04-26-2023[3] https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=career&year_min=1984&year_max=2023&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos=G&lg_ID=NBA& Age_min=0&Country=&Staff=&Team=&Debut=Y&Height_min=&Height_max=&College=&Conference=&Team_Aff=team_team&Opponent=&Site=&Game_num_type=team&Game_num_range=&Game_month=1&Game_day=1&Game_type=R&Game_location=&Game_result=any&is_starter=&Selected_game_oe=8&Illumin=1&Order_by=pts&cvs=y[4] https://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-memphis-play-in-game-summary-04-15-2023
- Jimmy Butler's return for Game 4 of the playoff series could give the Golden State Warriors a commanding 3-1 lead, as he hopes to shake off his pelvic and deep gluteal muscle injury.
- Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II provided significant support for the Warriors bench, with Hield contributing 17 points and five 3-pointers, and Payton scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter.
- The next matchup between the Warriors and the Rockets is scheduled for Monday night at Chase Center.
- Stephen Curry's lengthy performance in Game 3—scoring 36 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing seven rebounds—secured the 10th spot on the all-time NBA playoff points list with 4,053 points.
