Warriors eliminate Rockets in Game 7, set sights on Round 2
Buddy Hield exploded for 33 points, along with three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks to power the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets, 103-89, in a do-or-die Game 7 on Monday, May 5 (Philippine time) at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
The sharpshooting guard was locked in all night, hitting 12 of his 15 attempts from the field, including a blistering 9-of-11 from downtown, providing the offensive spark the Warriors needed to close out the series.
Backed by Hield’s hot hand, Golden State came out with urgency and intensity, determined not to let their early 3-1 series lead slip away. Veterans Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler also rose to the occasion, delivering solid all-around performances to help secure the Warriors' place in the second round.
Curry tallied 22 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two blocks — showcasing his leadership on both ends of the floor. Meanwhile, Butler brought his signature toughness and poise, contributing 20 markers, eight boards, seven dimes, and one deflection in the clutch.
Draymond Green, often the Warriors’ defensive anchor, made his presence felt on offense as well. He chipped in 16 markers while also collecting six boards, handing out five dimes, recording one deflection, and swatting away two shots — a complete effort that proved vital to the Warriors’ Game 7 success.
On the other side, Alperen Sengun fought valiantly for the Rockets, finishing with 21 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double. Amen Thompson paced Houston in scoring with 24 markers, while Fred VanVleet added 17, but it wasn’t enough to stop Golden State’s surge.
The opening quarter saw a tightly contested battle, with the Warriors holding a slim 23-19 edge after 12 minutes. But the second period was a turning point — Golden State tightened up defensively and found rhythm on offense, building a double-digit cushion heading into the half.
Houston made one final push in the third canto and early in the fourth frame, looking to rally behind their home crowd. However, the Warriors leaned on their experience and composure, never surrendering the lead and staying in control until the final buzzer.
With the victory, the No. 7 seed and Play-In tournament survivor Warriors now advance to Round 2, where they will face the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves starting May 7 (PH time) — setting up another must-watch playoff showdown.
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San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.