The effort was much improved for the young Houston Rockets relative to Friday’s ugly home loss to Indiana, but the defending NBA champion Warriors had too much offense by future Hall of Fame guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State’s narrow 127-120 victory (box score) on Sunday night at Toyota Center.
Thompson scored a season-high 41 points on an astounding 10-of-13 from 3-point range (76.9%), while Curry made 7-of-14 on 3-pointers (50.0%) while dropping 33 points and a season-high 15 assists. The Warriors (8-9) won on the road for the first time this season.
Rookie forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason each had career highs in scoring for the Rockets (3-14), with Smith posting 22 points and 7 rebounds on 8-of-14 shooting (57.1%) in 32 minutes and Tari Eason adding 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals in 23 minutes off the bench. Eason made 8-of-14 shots (57.1%) from the field.
“He was incredible,” Warriors defensive ace Draymond Green said postgame when asked about Eason. “I like Tari. Those are the type of guys that stick and become somebody in this league.”
Kevin Porter Jr. returned after missing one game with a sore back and scored a team-high 30 points for Houston on 10-of-19 shooting (52.6%) and 5-of-11 on 3-pointers (45.5). Porter also dished out a team-high 6 assists to only 2 turnovers. Unfortunately, Porter’s strong backcourt game was offset by a dud from Jalen Green, who scored 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting (26.7%) and 1-of-8 on 3-pointers (12.5%).
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interviews at Toyota Center. Houston’s four-game homestand continues with a third matchup Friday versus Atlanta, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. Central.
Highlights
Analysis and Interviews
First road win of the season for Golden State and a slump-busting game for Klay. Unfortunate for the Rockets to be on the other end of it, especially after season-best performances from Kevin Porter Jr., Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason. https://t.co/NxW2ya7BOf
— Danielle Lerner (@danielle_lerner) November 21, 2022
KPJ said at shoot around he looks forward to these type games and he has went toe to toe with Curry tonight. 30 points 6 assists and only 2 turnovers pic.twitter.com/uaGBGrLVsF
— Lachard Binkley (@BinkleyHoops) November 21, 2022
This is the sixth 30+ PTS, 15+ assist night of Curry's career, and his first since 2014.
Warriors star is certainly comfortable at the Toyota Center. https://t.co/8327fiPNzE
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) November 21, 2022
If the Warriors shot like this most nights, they’d be 8-0 on the road and not 0-8. Rockets played well tonight, just brutal luck with shotmaking
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) November 21, 2022
Curry swishes an impossible high arching 28-footer and does the night, night. Porter comes back with another 3, his season-high fifth.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 21, 2022
Klay. I mean good Lord.
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) November 21, 2022
Rookie seasons are unpredictable.
Sometimes players start off hot and hit walls later in the year. Sometimes they need a full season to catch a rhythm and adapt to the NBA.
You just shouldn’t write these guys off until one full season is in the books.
— Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) November 21, 2022
Klay heard all your podcasts and took it out on the poor 3-13 Rockets
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 21, 2022
10 threes for Klay Thompson tonight.
That’s his first game with 10 triples since January 2019.
— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) November 21, 2022
Rockets lose.
Kevin Porter Jr dropped 30, Jabari Smith had 22, Tari Eason 19/8/1/3 in just 22 minutes. KJ 12.
Most entertaining game of the season. Steph and Klay were out of this world.
Next game is on Friday.
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) November 21, 2022
KPJ dropped 30. Career highs for Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. Not enough against the reigning champs as Warriors win 127-120.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) November 21, 2022
Asked Draymond Green about what he saw from Tari Eason off the bench.
The 4x champ had some high praise for the rookie:
“He was incredible— I like Tari. Those are the type of guys that stick and become somebody in this league.”@TAR13ASON | @teroyaeason pic.twitter.com/nQ1t8c4Z95
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) November 21, 2022
Silas: "We have to learn discipline when it comes to some of the switching things and whatnot, but this is a team that's been together for years and won championships and all that and we should definitely be proud." https://t.co/nBj3yMm5NL
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 21, 2022
Eason: "The way they set screens where they come off with pin downs and things like that, you never really know what it is until you're in the game." https://t.co/wgJg5UeoqR
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 21, 2022
Silas: "Jabari was all over the place. Defensively, he's making shots, crashing the offensive glass. Tari, he's always in the right spot. He's running around getting offensive rebounds, stealing the ball, taking it coast to coast."
— Adam Spolane (@AdamSpolane) November 21, 2022
#Rockets got down early, fought back to take the lead, but end up falling to the Warriors in a back and forth game 127-120
Kevin Porter Jr and Stephen Silas talked about the loss@HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/kJZCUlGbMf
— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 21, 2022
Tari Eason tonight vs GSW
🏀19 PTS 🏀8-14 FG 🏀8 REB 🏀 3 STL 🏀@TAR13ASON spoke with the media after the #Rockets game with the Warriors@HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/aeVPLzgQAu— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 21, 2022
Jabari Smith Jr tonight vs GSW
🏀22 PTS 🏀8-14 FG 🏀7 REB 🏀@jabarismithjr talked with the media after the #Rockets game with the Warriors@HoustonRockets on AT&T SportsNet pic.twitter.com/n9N4y3SrDK— AT&T SportsNet™ | SW (@ATTSportsNetSW) November 21, 2022
