Curry Helps Warriors Claim Decider Against Rockets

Stephen Curry said nan Golden State Warriors had to "dig deep" to hit nan Houston Rockets 103-89 successful nan deciding crippled of their Western Conference first-round play-off series.

The Warriors led nan best-of-seven bid 3-1 earlier nan Rockets pulled level astatine 3-3 going into nan last crippled successful Houston.

Curry scored 14 of his 22 points successful nan 4th fourth while team-mate Buddy Hield sank 9 three-pointers successful his game-high haul of 33 arsenic nan brace helped nan Warriors group up a Western Conference semi-final against nan Minnesota Timberwolves.

"A batch of resilience and everybody stepping up," said Curry erstwhile asked what was needed to unafraid nan win.

"Everybody's been talking astir our squad nan past 2 games successful position of our execution, our energy, each that.

"We blocked it each retired and conscionable understood we had 48 minutes to excavation deep. Everybody contributed. Buddy Hield was unbelievable."

Jimmy Butler, who joined nan Warriors successful a waste and acquisition from Miami Heat successful February, contributed 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

"For america to build chemistry connected nan alert and build spot connected nan alert and execute for illustration we did successful a crippled seven, it intends nan world," added Curry.

"So, ngo accomplished - measurement one."

The Rockets were 2nd successful nan Western Conference regular play compared to nan Warriors' seventh-place finish.

Houston's conclusion successful nan decider meant they grounded to go nan 14th squad to travel from 3-1 down to triumph a NBA play-off series.

Meanwhile, nan Indiana Pacers won 121-112 astatine nan Cleveland Cavaliers to return a 1-0 lead successful their Eastern Conference semi-final play-off series.

Andrew Nembhard apical scored for nan Pacers pinch 23 points while team-mate Tyrese Haliburton added 22.

The Cavaliers, who vanished apical of nan Eastern Conference, were beaten for nan first clip successful this season's play-offs pursuing their 4-0 first-round play-off bid triumph against Miami.

"We're decidedly nan dense underdog, but we're trying to power what we can," said Haliburton. "It gives america a batch of momentum for sure, but this is nan champion squad successful our conference. They don't suffer much."