Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors came up short in Game 6 of their opening-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, failing to execute in the final quarter and falling 115-107. In response, Mariah Rose — daughter of former Pistons star Jalen Rose — suggested the Warriors may have missed Klay Thompson’s presence.
Thompson built a reputation for delivering in Game 6s, most notably his 11 3-pointers versus OKC in the 2016 playoffs and a 35-point outburst against the Rockets in 2018.
Golden State badly needed a performance like that as Curry (29 points, seven rebounds) and Jimmy Butler (27 points, nine rebounds, eight assists) lacked significant support. Curry struggled in the fourth quarter, going 1-for-7 and scoring just three points.
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“Game 6 Klay would’ve NEVER let this happen,” Mariah said on X (formerly Twitter).
Moses Moody chipped in 13 points on 13 shots, while Brandin Podziemski added 10 points on 9 attempts — and beyond that, the offensive help was minimal. Draymond Green finished with eight points, five rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn’t enough to make a difference in the fourth, where Golden State was outscored 29-23.
Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks during the offseason, forming a star trio with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
But following the Doncic trade, he settled into more of a supporting role. He played in 72 games this season, averaging 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists — and notably, remained the healthiest of Dallas’ stars.
The Warriors had once led the series 3-1, but dropped back-to-back games — triggering memories of their infamous blown 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Rockets’ double-big lineup overwhelms Warriors in Game 6
Houston pulled off a crucial Game 6 win behind strong performances from their starting unit and an effective double-big lineup featuring Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.
That frontcourt combination helped Houston dominate the boards 62-51 and own the paint with a 42-32 scoring edge. Sengun delivered 21 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and a plus-7 rating, while Adams contributed 17 points, five rebounds, three blocks, and had a plus-15 rating.
Fred VanVleet also stepped up, finishing with 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Amen Thompson and Jalen Green had 14 and 12 points, respectively, though both struggled with efficiency.
Game 7 is set for Sunday on Houston’s home floor. The winner will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals.
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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro
