After taking a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors certainly started to sweat after dropping the next two and unwillingly being forced into a win-or-go-home Game 7.
The Warriors certainly did not want things to get to this point, but they are making the most of their opportunity with their backs against the wall in Houston on Sunday night.
Even with the Rockets having all of the momentum entering Game 7, the Warriors put on a show in the first half. Golden State stormed out to take a 51-39 halftime lead over Houston, led by an incredible performance from Buddy Hield.
BUDDY FROM NEAR HALFCOURT TO END THE FIRST 🚨
WARRIORS LEADING BY 4 AFTER 1Q!
🍿 Game 7 on TNT pic.twitter.com/d9FYshq0id
— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2025
Hield dropped 22 points and zero turnovers in the first half on near-perfect 8-9 shooting from the field and 6-7 from three-point range, including a 42-foot bomb to beat the first-quarter buzzer.
Hield’s six three-pointers are the most in a single half in NBA Game 7 history, and the sharpshooter also became the first player in league history to reach that stat line in a single half of any playoff game.
Buddy Hield in the first half:
22 PTS
6/7 3PTMost 3PM in a single half of a Game 7. pic.twitter.com/NMN26D8hYI
— Polymarket Hoops (@StatMamba) May 5, 2025
The Warriors desperately needed someone to step up offensively, especially with an underwhelming half from superstar point guard Steph Curry. The 11-time All-Star had just three points on 1-7 shooting from the field and 1-6 from deep, and was scoreless until the final minute of the second quarter.
The Warriors are desperately trying to punch their ticket to the second round, and Hield is certainly doing all he can to help them get there.
