Steph Curry has played in enough playoff battles to know what’s coming. Still, after watching a 3–1 series lead evaporate into a 3–3 deadlock, even the Golden State Warriors’ unshakable leader sounds the alarm.
Now staring down a do-or-die Game 7 in Houston, Curry isn’t talking about adjustments. He’s talking about survival.
“If you don’t show up with that appropriate mentality, then you got a long vacation ahead of you,” Curry said. “You don’t want to be the team that’s packing up. We’re packing for a week. Getting on this plane to go to Texas and hopefully go to Minnesota right after. That’s the approach.” (via 95.7 The Game)
After back-to-back losses to a hungry Rockets team—culminating in a 115–107 Game 6 defeat at Chase Center—the Warriors are flying straight into a storm. The Rockets, led by Fred VanVleet’s 29-point night and a dominant showing from Alperen Şengün, have flipped the series’ momentum with size, physicality, and belief.
The fall from control
Just four days ago, Golden State looked set to cruise into Round 2. Butler was back, Curry was rolling, and Houston’s youth looked outmatched. But the Warriors came out flat in Game 5, then crumbled in the fourth quarter of Game 6—missing 14 of their first 15 shots in the final frame.
Curry scored 29 points, but the offense stalled. Jimmy Butler added 27, yet the team couldn’t finish. The non-Curry starters shot 3-of-18 from deep, and the team looked listless as the Rockets threw out zone defenses and crowded the paint.
What Changed? Rockets Got Tough, Warriors Got Tight
Houston’s turnaround hasn’t just been about shot-making—it’s been about identity. The Rockets have leaned into physicality, rebounding, and zone defense, forcing the Warriors to play uncomfortable basketball. Golden State, usually calm under pressure, has looked rushed and reactive.
Fred VanVleet has controlled the tempo, Sengün has owned the paint, and even Houston’s wings have made life difficult for Curry with aggressive switching and timely traps. Offensively, the Warriors have become too dependent on tough jumpers, while the bench has gone cold.
For all of Golden State’s playoff experience, the past two games have exposed their age, their lack of depth, and their overreliance on Curry to rescue possessions. That’s what makes Game 7 feel different. This isn’t just a road game—it’s a reckoning.
Curry Has Been Here Before—But It’s Different Now
Golden State has been in this movie before. In 2023, they lost Game 6 at home to Sacramento and won Game 7 behind a legendary 50-piece from Curry. But this time, the Warriors are older, the role players are colder, and the pressure feels heavier.
Still, if there’s any comfort for Warriors fans, it’s this: Curry isn’t backing down. He’s packing for a week, not a day—and he’s daring his teammates to do the same.
