Curry returns after 65 days, scores 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting; Durant posts 31+8+8; Warriors lose to Rockets, suffer 4 consecutive defeats.

On April 6, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Warriors hosted the Rockets. After a fierce contest, the Rockets defeated the Warriors 117-116, securing their sixth consecutive win while handing the Warriors their fourth straight loss. In this matchup, Stephen Curry returned from injury and scored 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting, while Kevin Durant recorded 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Technical Statistics

Warriors: Curry 29 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists; Santos 15 points, 4 rebounds; Podziemski 18 points, 3 assists; Green 7 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists; Payton 14 points.

Rockets: Durant 31 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists; Sengun 24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists; Amen 18 points; Smith 23 points, 9 rebounds.

Background Introduction

After 65 days, Stephen Curry officially returned from injury in this game, having missed 27 consecutive regular-season games. His playing time was limited to 25 minutes, and he did not start for the Warriors. This marks Curry's seventh appearance as a substitute in regular-season games throughout his career. His last regular-season game as a substitute dates back to March 8, 2012. Notably, in this game, Curry surpassed 9,000 field goals in his career, becoming the 26th player in league history to achieve this milestone.

Game Process

Perhaps Curry's return energized the team, as the Warriors opened with a 7-0 burst. The Rockets quickly responded, with Durant, Sengun, and Amen scoring consecutively to close the gap. Midway through the first quarter, Curry entered the game, instantly drawing cheers from the crowd. After coming on, Curry assisted Bessi for a dunk. Near the end of the quarter, Curry received a pass outside and hit a three-pointer over Durant's defense, helping the Warriors finish the first quarter with a 5-point lead. In the second quarter, the Rockets unleashed their outside shooting, hitting three consecutive three-pointers in an 11-0 run, forcing the Warriors to call a timeout. After the timeout, the Warriors responded with a scoring surge through drives, free throws, and three-pointers; little Curry made three free throws, and Curry hit a three-pointer followed by a driving layup. The Rockets then launched a 9-0 run. Toward the end of the quarter, both teams exchanged points through drives and jump shots, including a layup by Curry. At halftime, the Warriors trailed 53-55; Curry had 10 points, and Durant had 12 points.

After switching sides, the teams traded points early in the third quarter. When Podziemski scored on a layup, the Warriors were down by 3 points. Subsequently, the Rockets went on an 8-0 run with drives and outside shots; Curry drove for a layup to stop the bleeding for the Warriors. Later, Curry took charge of the Warriors' offense, scoring on a driving layup, then hitting a three-pointer, followed by making two free throws after drawing a foul, totaling 7 points in succession. By the end of the third quarter, the Warriors trailed 82-92 by 10 points; Curry scored 11 points in that quarter, while Durant scored 16 points. In the fourth quarter, both teams engaged in a scoring exchange early on; when Melton hit a three-pointer, the Warriors trailed 99-106 by 7 points. Subsequently, Curry hit consecutive three-pointers to keep the Warriors close, making it 114-115. In the final seconds, Payton attempted a layup, Amen interfered with the ball, and the Warriors took a 1-point lead. With 16.1 seconds left, Sengun scored on a layup, and Curry missed his final shot. Ultimately, the Rockets narrowly defeated the Warriors by 1 point.

Starting Lineups

Warriors: Santos, Porzingis, Podziemski, Green, Melton.

Rockets: Durant, Sengun, Amen, Sheppard, Smith.