Stephen Curry, Warriors Ripped By NBA Fans After Fred VanVleet, Rockets Force Game 7
Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors struggled in the fourth quarter during a 115-107 loss to the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.
The Warriors initially held a 3-1 series lead, although the Rockets have now stormed back to force Game 7.
Golden State only trailed by two points entering the fourth quarter on Friday before Houston opened the final period on a 20-5 run that put the game out of reach.
Curry scored 29 points but was inconsistent from behind the arc, shooting 6-of-16 from three-point territory. He also recorded just two assists compared to five turnovers.
Fans and pundits weren't impressed by the performance from Curry and Golden State.
Jimmy Butler racked up 27 points and eight assists on 7-of-17 shooting, but Butler and Curry were the only Warriors starters that scored more than eight points.
Fred VanVleet led the way for the Rockets, as he nearly recorded a triple-double in 40 minutes on the floor. VanVleet finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists while shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 6-of-9 on long-range shots.
Alperen Şengün added 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Steven Adams chipped in with 17 points off the bench.
Houston thrived around the basket, scoring 42 points in the paint compared to just 32 for Golden State.
The Warriors will now travel back to the Toyota Center and attempt to advance to the second round in Game 7 on Sunday.
Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. ET
Updated NBA Playoff Bracket 2025 Picture, Schedule as Warriors-Rockets Goes to Game 7
The Houston Rockets have forced a deciding Game 7 in their NBA Western Conference first-round playoff series after a 115-107 road win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday evening.
And with that, two first-round playoff series remain undecided.
The Denver Nuggets will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, with the winner facing the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoffs.
Houston will then host Golden State on Sunday, with the winner taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Round 2.
Here's a look at where everything stands at the moment.
Eastern Conference First-Round Results
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers 4, No. 8 Miami Heat 0
No. 2 Boston Celtics 4, No. 7 Orlando Magic 1
No. 3 New York Knicks 4, No. 6 Detroit Pistons 2
No. 4 Indiana Pacers 4, No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks 1
Eastern Conference Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Indiana Pacers
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 3 New York Knicks
Western Conference First-Round Results
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder 4, No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies 0
No. 2 Houston Rockets 3 vs. No. 7 Golden State Warriors 3
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves 4, No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers 1
No. 4 Denver Nuggets 3, No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers 3
Western Conference Semifinal Matchups
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 4 Denver/No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers
No. 2 Houston/No. 7 Golden State vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Cleveland vs. Indiana Schedule
Boston vs. New York Schedule
Oklahoma City vs. Denver or Los Angeles Clippers
Minnesota vs. Golden State or Houston
Houston primarily forced a Game 7 because of its tremendous fourth quarter, which began with Fred VanVleet's four-point play, setting the tone for a fantastic finish.
Houston ultimately went on a 20-5 run to start the frame and never looked back. VanVleet also hit a massive three to put Houston up by double digits (101-89) with 6:49 left.
The former Wichita State star finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Alperen Şengün added 21 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Golden State ultimately had an off-night offensively, as noted by making just 30.6 percent of its threes. Stephen Curry scored 29 points but hit just 9-of-23 shots (6-of-16 from three). Jimmy Butler added a near triple-double (27 points, nine rebounds, eight assists). Only one other Warrior (Moses Moody off the bench with 13 points) scored more than 10.
Now the series shifts back to Houston for the closing Game 7.
It's been an odd series to say the least, with five of the six games being decided by double digits. The only real close game was last Monday, when the Warriors edged the Rockets 109-106 to go up three games to one.
Houston has been tremendous ever since, though. In Game 5, the Rockets won 131-116 after three players scored 24 or more points in VanVleet (26), Amen Thompson (25) and Dillon Brooks (24). In fact, the Rockets took a 27-point lead into the fourth quarter, leading to head coach Steve Kerr clearing the bench early.
That happened again Friday (albeit a little later with 2:24 left) as Houston coasted down the stretch. Once again, VanVleet was hot, marking his third straight game with 25 or more points.
If VanVleet can keep this offensive output up yet again, Houston is frankly going to be hard to beat at home. The Rockets also may not have the superstar power that Golden State possesses in Curry and Butler, but this team runs deep, plays hard and is on the rise.
On the flip side, the Warriors are a team led by Curry, Butler and Draymond Green who know how to win deep in the playoffs. Curry can go off for 40-plus, and/or Playoff Jimmy can erupt in Game 7 and/or Green can be a pest on both ends as he does.
So this will be a fascinating finish, where we'll find out if Houston's time is now or if the Warriors can push the sun back up into the sky.
Mavs' Kyrie Irving Says Torn ACL Rehab 'Going Really Well' After Season-Ending Injury
Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving provided an update on his recovery from a torn left ACL that ended his 2024-25 season.
On Friday, Irving revealed that his rehab is "going really well" in a post on X.
The nine-time All-Star sustained the injury in the first quarter of Dallas' 122-98 defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on March 3 and eventually underwent surgery to repair his ACL on March 26.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that there is "optimism" that Irving will be able to suit up again around Jan. 2026.
The veteran point guard will be returning to a Mavericks roster that'll look vastly different compared to the start of the 2024-25 season, as the front office made the surprising decision to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for a package centered around Anthony Davis on Feb. 2.
Irving and Davis only shared the floor in one game following the trade as both players dealt with injuries, combining to score 39 points in a 116-105 win over the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8.
The Mavericks finished the season with a 39-43 record before they were eliminated in the play-in tournament.
Irving's future with the team isn't guaranteed, as he owns a $43.9 million player option for his 2025-26 campaign.
Still, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison told reporters that "we fully expect to have Kyrie back with us next year" and there's also belief around the league that he'll stay with the organization.
Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game on 47.3/40.1/91.6 shooting splits in 50 appearances during the 2024-25 season.
Damian Lillard Undergoes Surgery on Achilles Injury After Bucks' NBA Playoff Loss
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard underwent surgery on Friday to repair his torn left Achilles tendon, per ESPN.
Lillard suffered the injury during Milwaukee's Game 4 loss against the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The surgery was performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Lillard posted the following message on social media Friday:
One of the concerns going forward is how Lillard will recover from the procedure and an injury that can cause players to lose a step once they return. That is compounded by the fact that Lillard is already 34 years old, though he sounds intent on returning to an elite level.
"He said two things, which I love," Doc Rivers told reporters regarding conversations he's had since suffering the injury. "The first one, he just said, 'I can't believe I'm here.' Then, the second one is, 'I'm not going out this way.' I can guarantee you he won't, and that's what I meant about his resolve."
It's been a challenging season for Lillard. In March, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, costing him the final 14 games of the regular season. He made a remarkably fast recovery, however, and was cleared to resume basketball activities and cease taking blood-thinning medication in April, returning to the court for the Bucks by Game 2 of the series against the Pacers.
Sadly, his return didn't last long, and his torn Achilles now threatens to cost him the entire 2025-26 season.
Time will tell if he's able to make another quick recovery, though this injury is an entirely different scenario to the blood clot he had in his calf. Friday's surgery was the first step in that recovery process.
Steve Kerr Thanks Gregg Popovich, Says Move to Spurs Exec Role a 'Natural Transition'
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave his thoughts on legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich's decision to transition to a president of basketball operations role.
"I just want to say thank you to Pop and to the Spurs organization for everything that they've meant to me in my career," Kerr told reporters on Friday.
"It's sad day," he added. "It's also an encouraging day, because I think this is a natural transition for him organizationally to move into his next role."
Kerr spent four years on the Spurs under Popovich during his playing career and also served as one of his assistant coaches on Team USA during the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Becky Hammon, who now coaches the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces, also paid her respects to Popovich after having coached under him with the Spurs from 2014 to 2021.
"That's who mentored me, that's who spent literally thousands of hours with me," Hammon told reporters. "Watching him, I was there eight years. It's a lot of games, it's a lot of practices, it's a lot of coaches meetings. So yeah, my heart's a little heavy for him because I know how much he loves it, but I'm sure he'll crush this role just as much."
Popovich has been involved with the Spurs and present at their training facility as of late but ultimately "came to the conclusion that he no longer could move forward with the taxing grind of being an NBA head coach," according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
The 76-year-old opened San Antonio's 2024-25 campaign with the team but was forced to step away after suffering a mild stroke on Nov. 2. He eventually missed the rest of the season.
Kerr revealed that he visited Popovich to check up on him as he was recovering.
"We've stayed in touch," Kerr told reporters on March 30. "I went and saw him today and he looks great. He's doing great. He's one of the most important people in my life, so hoping that everything continues to progress. But it was wonderful to see him."
Popovich had operated as the Spurs' head coach since taking over during the 1996-97 season, owning a 1,422-869 record and winning five championships. He has the most wins of any coach in NBA history and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Mitch Johnson, who was San Antonio's interim head coach in Popovich's absence, was promoted to the full-time role as his replacement.
Victor Wembanyama Thanks Gregg Popovich in Heartfelt Message After Spurs HC's Exit
Victor Wembanyama shared a heartfelt message to Gregg Popovich after the San Antonio Spurs announced the longtime head coach's departure from the position on Friday.
"29 years," Wembanyama wrote on X. "Coach, thank you for your wisdom, for your leadership, for the culture you created… But most importantly for being a great and inspiring person.
"It was an honor to be a part of those 29 years. Wishing you the best on your new chapter."
Popovich spent 29 seasons as the Spurs head coach before stepping away from the position after suffering a stroke in November. He will now transition to a new role as president of basketball operations, according to the Spurs.
Popovich's last full campaign as the Spurs' head coach coincided with Wembanyama's first season in the NBA.
Popovich regularly held individually workouts with Wembanyama as the center played his way to a Rookie of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award runner-up, NBA.com's Michael C. Wright reported in March 2024.
"I think it’s pretty precious, and one of the reasons that makes this place the best place," Wembanyama said about those one-on-one workouts last March. "Also, I think I’ve added something out of every single one of these. Even whenever I talk with the coach, I add something every time.”
Popovich is set to remain around the team ahead of Wembanyama's third season. ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday that Popovich "has been involved with the team and present at San Antonio's facility in recent days, and will continue to be a vital member of the franchise's day-to-day operations."
"As much as he wanted to return to his place on the sideline, he came to the conclusion that he no longer could move forward with the taxing grind of being an NBA head coach," Charania wrote. "He has been making steady progress with his health in recovery from the November stroke, sources added."
Popovich said in a statement shared by the Spurs that he was "forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach."
He will retire as the NBA's all-time wins leader with 1,422 regular-season wins through 29 seasons with the franchise.
NBA Draft Combine 2025, Full List of Participants, Schedule and Players to Watch
The NBA announced on Friday the 75 players that will participate in the 2025 Draft Combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 11-18.
The NBA G League Elite Camp will also take place from May 9-11, while the NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 12, making early May an extremely important period in the pre-draft process for teams.
For many prospects, the combine is the chance to impress teams, especially during the scrimmage portion of the event. Generally speaking, however, the combine is more about interviews and meetings for the very top prospects—this year, that includes Duke's Cooper Flagg, Rutgers' Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey and Baylor's V.J. Edgecombe, among others—than it is about the testing or scrimmages.
Flagg is the overwhelming favorite to be the top overall selection, with the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets each holding 14 percent odds to obtain the No. 1 pick.
The New Orleans Pelicans (12.5 percent), Philadelphia 76ers (10.5 percent), Brooklyn Nets (9 percent), Toronto Raptors (7.5 percent), San Antonio Spurs (6 percent), Houston Rockets (3.8 percent, via Phoenix), Portland Trail Blazers (3.7 percent), Dallas Mavericks (1.8 percent), Chicago Bulls (1.7 percent), Sacramento Kings (0.8 percent) and Spurs (0.7 percent, via Atlanta) round out the draft lottery.
The 2025 NBA draft will be held in Brooklyn on June 25-26.
LeBron James Says It's Not His Job to Convince Luka Doncic to Sign New Lakers Contract
LeBron James says it's not his job to convince Luka Dončić to sign an extension with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
"No, that ain't my job," James told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I think ... I don't think, I know, Luka knows how I feel about him. And ultimately, that trade happened for the future. That's not for me. Luka has to decide what he has to do with his future. He's [26] years old, I'm 40, so he can't be basing his career off me. That's just real.
"But I hope, obviously, [he stays long term]. Laker fans f---ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he's got to make a decision for him. S---, I ain't going to be around much longer."
James has yet to make a decision regarding his 2025-26 player option. Dončić, who has his own player option for the 2026-27 season, will be eligible to sign a four-year extension in August.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Sam Amick reported Friday that Dončić is "widely expected" to sign an extension with the Lakers "at some point."
"According to team sources, the Lakers will be amenable to whatever contract structure Dončić desires," Buha and Amick wrote.
Dončić could sign a four-year, $229 million extension starting Aug. 2. He could also sign a three-year, $165 million deal and set himself up for a five-year, $418 million contract in 2028, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Should Dončić not sign an extension, the Lakers would still have an advantage over other teams when he becomes a free agent in 2026. The Lakers could ink Dončić to a five-year, $296 million deal, while other teams can't give him more than a four-year, $219 million contract, per Marks.
But the Lakers could lose a major bargaining chip if James leaves the franchise or retires from the NBA by that point.
James said after the Lakers' season-ending Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday that he didn't "have an answer" as to how much longer he would keep playing.
James, who turned 40 in December, averaged 24.4 points per game in a historically dominant 22nd NBA season. No player has ever returned for a 23rd campaign in the league.
To earn Dončić's long-term commitment to the franchise amid the uncertain future of the NBA's all-time leading scorer, general manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers may need to convince Dončić that the franchise has a long-term plan in place to contend in the post-James era.
Tuomas Iisalo Named Grizzlies' Full-Time HC After Replacing Taylor Jenkins Midseason
The Memphis Grizzlies have their new head coach.
They announced Friday that interim coach Tuomas Iisalo is being installed as the full-time head coach after he replaced Taylor Jenkins, whom they fired in late March.
"I have full confidence in Tuomas serving as head coach of the Grizzlies going forward," team president and general manager Zach Kleiman said in a statement. "Tuomas' teams at every level have been disciplined, tenacious and connected on both ends of the floor, consistently exceeding expectations. We look forward to the same in Memphis."
Under Iisalo, the Grizzlies went 4-5 to close the regular season before being swept by the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Ja Morant's series-ending hip contusion in Game 3 didn't help the team's cause.
Overall, the Grizzlies finished the regular season 48-34, reaching the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five years.
Memphis has a solid core group in Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., though the trio hasn't quite been able to get over the hump. Some roster tweaking could be in order this offseason, but Morant gave Iisalo a vote of confidence heading into the summer:
The timing of Jenkins' firing—after establishing himself the winningest coach in franchise history—was quite surprising, though Memphis' front office may have always had an Iisalo succession plan in place. As The Athletic's William Guillory noted in early April, the organization "paid a lucrative buyout to lure Iisalo from Paris Basketball of LNB Élite" and also "forced Jenkins to fire several assistants he worked with for years ahead of the 2024-25 season to make room for Iisalo and several others tasked with reshaping the Grizzlies’ offensive attack."
The Grizzlies had also lost eight of 11 games at the time of Jenkins' firing.
Now, Iisalo will have to prove that the immense faith the franchise has put in him—from his expensive hiring as an assistant to his interim tag and now the full-time position as head coach—was justified.