From 1-3 to 2-3! The Rockets have a tough life-sustaining, and the Warriors "home curse" sounds the alarm again.

On May 1, 2025, the first round of the NBA playoffs G5 staged a life-and-death battle at the Houston Toyota Center.

The Rockets defeated the Warriors 131-116, chasing the series to 2-3.

In this game, Rockets Trident VanVleet, Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks scored 75 points, while Warriors core Curry scored only 13 points, which was hidden one quarter ahead of schedule. This victory not only allowed the Rockets to continue their hope of advancement, but also exposed the Warriors' fatal weaknesses.

1. Game review: The Rockets set the tone in the first quarter, and there is no suspense in the Warriors' collapse

1. The Rockets' "three tricks" at the beginning of the game, the Rockets showed a momentum of breaking the boat. VanVleet made three consecutive three-pointers in the first quarter, scoring 11 points in a single quarter, leading the team to a violent start of 40-24.

Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks put wild pressure on the defensive end, forcing Curry to make only 1 of 6 shots in the first quarter. The Warriors' proud pass-and-cut system completely failed under the Rockets' high-pressure defense. They made up as many as 5 mistakes in the first quarter, and the rebound was crushed 14-8 by the Rockets.

2. The "Death 14-0" in the second quarter laid the victory

The Rockets' substitutes continued their firepower in the second quarter. Ethan and Landale jointly contributed 14 points. The Rockets once made a 14-0 attack wave, and the score difference widened to 30 points. The Warriors were already in a state of defeat at this time. Curry only scored 7 points in the first half. Cole rarely replaced the main player in the early stage of the third quarter and gave up the game early.

Although the Warriors substitute Moody scored 12 points in the final quarter, the Rockets' main player quickly stabilized the situation after returning and finally won the victory with a 15-point advantage.

2. Key to the turnaround: Analysis of the three major winning points of the Rockets

1. Van Vleet recovered and became the Rockets' "winning and losing player" in the first three games of the series, Van Vleet averaged only 11.3 points per game, with a shooting percentage of less than 30%. He was ridiculed as "high salary and low ability."

But he broke out completely in the last two games, scoring 26 points in 8 of 13 shots in this game, with a three-point shooting percentage of up to 66.7%, plus or negative value + 28 championships.

His cold-blooded three-pointer and breakthrough pass at a critical moment directly disrupted the Warriors' defensive strategy. After the game, he said bluntly: "Our goal is to reverse the series, and this victory is just the beginning."

2. Defensive upgrade: Locking Curry + consuming Butler

Rockets' targeted defense against the Warriors' dual cores in this game is textbook level.

Curry made 4 of 12 shots in the game, 3 of 9 three-pointers, with a plus-minus value of -21; Butler scored only 8 points on 2 of 10 shots, and the two scored a total of 21 points to a season low.

The Rockets adopted the "Dillon single defense + Shen Jing assisted defense" strategy, forcing Curry to stay away from the three-point line, and at the same time used Amen Thompson's maneuverability to limit Butler's breakthrough.

The Warriors' dual-core hit the ground, with the team's three-point shooting percentage being only 32%, and their offensive efficiency fell to the bottom of the playoffs.

3. Rebound dominance: 47.8 league firsts

Rockets grabbed 54 rebounds in the game (including 16 frontcourt rebounds), far exceeding the Warriors' 37.

Shenjing contributed 9 rebounds, Adams and Ethan had a total of 11 offensive rebounds, and scored 24-8 on the second offense. On the other hand, the Warriors completely lost the inside after leaving the court with 6 fouls, and Moody only grabbed 9 rebounds and struggled.

3. Warriors' hidden dangers: Curry's sluggish + substitute deep crisis

1. Curry's "milestation": his condition fell sharply

Curry only played 23 minutes in this game, with a positive and negative value of -21 hitting a new low in the career playoffs.

His playoff average score plummeted from 28.5 points in the first round to 18.3 points in the second round, with a three-point shooting percentage of only 33.3%. The physical fitness problems caused by age and the Rockets' double-teaming tactics made the 37-year-old veteran seem helpless.

If you cannot regain your touch in G6, the Warriors may repeat the mistake of being turned over.

2. Inadequate substitute depth: Moody's alone can't support

The Warriors scored 58 points in this game (Moody's 25 points), but there were many loopholes on the defensive end.

The Rockets' substitute was once chased to a 15-point difference in the last quarter, exposing the stability of role players such as Landale and Smith.

In contrast, except for Moody, Knox (14 points) and Spencer (11 points) are difficult to be qualified for rotation, and Cole was forced to let the main force check in early, laying the hidden dangers of physical fitness for the G6.

4. Probability of turnaround: The game between historical data and schedule

1. Historical law: The probability of turning back is only 5%

In history, NBA has 271 times 1-3 behind 1, and only 13 teams have completed the reversal.

If the Rockets want to advance, they need to win two consecutive games at home, which is as difficult as the sky.

But it is worth noting that in the past five years, teams such as the Nuggets (2020), Clippers (2021) have created miracles, and the Rockets' young lineup may be able to learn from its resilience.

2. Schedule balance: The Warriors' home advantage becomes a double-edged sword

G6 will move to the Warriors' home game Chase Center. The Warriors' home winning rate this season is as high as 72.5%, and they have won all against the Rockets in the past 13 times.

But the pressure has now turned to the Warriors. If they lose G6 again, the psychological advantage of the tiebreaker will be reversed to the Rockets. Rockets coach Uduka has already said: "We believe we can win away games, and the series is far from over."

5. Ultimate prediction: Can the Rockets create miracles?

Key variables:

VanVleet continues its state: If he can maintain the efficiency of 25.5 points and 66.7% of three-pointers in the last two games, the Rockets' offense will be difficult to stop.

Curry's rebound degree: The Warriors need Curry to contribute at least 30 points + 5 three-pointers, otherwise the system will stagnate.

Rebounds: The Rockets need to continue to play the league's first advantage with an average of 47.8 rebounds per game, suppressing the Warriors' counterattack rhythm.

Conclusion: The Rockets' probability of a comeback has risen from 18% before the game to 35%, but the Warriors still have home and experience advantages. If the G6 Rockets can limit Curry's score to be less than 20 points, and Van Vleet and Amen continue to perform efficiently, the tiebreak battle may come as scheduled.