Coming off an upset loss from the short-handed Indiana Pacers in overtime at home on Thursday, the young Houston Rockets gave the Golden State Warriors everything they could handle on Friday night.
However, the ending was different on the second leg of Golden State’s back-to-back.
After a rough start against a gritty performance from the Rockets, the Warriors clawed back into the contest behind Steph Curry, Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney and Otto Porter Jr.
Following an 11 point deficit at halftime, the Warriors outscored the Rockets 33-22 in the third quarter to tie the ballgame before the final 12 minutes.
After trading shots back and forth in the final frame, the Warriors held the ball with the game tied at 103 and 5.1 seconds remaining on the clock. Curry saved the day, drilling a deep two-point jumper as time expired to win the game for the Warriors, 105-103.
The buzzer-beating game-winner caused an eruption from the frenzied crowd at Chase Center as Curry and his teammates celebrated a much-needed victory at home.
Curry finished the contest with a game-high 22 points on 6-of-21 shooting from the floor with four triples, 12 assists, four boards, a steal and a block in 39 minutes. The two-time Most Valuable Player started the game shooting 0-for-5 from the field in the first quarter. Curry’s jumper on Friday night was his first game-winner at the buzzer in his career, per ESPN Stats and Info.
Via @ESPNStatsInfo on Twitter:
That was Stephen Curry's first career game-winning buzzer-beater
Curry's game-winning buzzer-beater is the first by a Warriors player since Andre Iguodala on Jan. 3, 2014 against the Hawks (which was assisted by Curry). pic.twitter.com/xKZ6PyhBAi
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 22, 2022
After Curry’s late heroics against the Rockets, the NBA community on Twitter exploded with a wave of reactions. Here’s a look at what fans and analysts were saying about Curry and the Warriors on Friday night.
The post originally appeared on Warriors Wire. Follow Warriors Wire on Facebook and Twitter.
Felt like a weight lifted off the Warriors after 30 saved the day with that game winner.
— Tommy Call III (@tommy_III) January 22, 2022
On paper it’s a victory against the 14-win Rockets, but that meant A LOT for a Warriors team that is clearly in a funk.
— Tommy Call III (@tommy_III) January 22, 2022
The Warriors outscored the Rockets 13-2 in the final 4:49
Houston was up 101-92 and the Warriors won 105-103
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) January 22, 2022
Wardell
⬜⬜⬜⬜️⬜️
⬜️⬜️⬜⬜⬜️
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) January 22, 2022
Game.
Set.
Match.#StephenCurry || #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/PiQKKsqGmd— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 22, 2022
WALKOFF WINNER!#StephenCurry || #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/s6wg3paEk5
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 22, 2022
Otto Porter Jr. not only secured the rebound in the waning seconds before a Warriors timeout ahead of Stephen Curry's game-winning 20-foot jumper but also had a driving dunk with 3:38 to play that got Golden State within 101-99. Kerr: "He’s a perfect fit for our team."
— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) January 22, 2022
Steve Kerr: "That was the play. Get the ball to Steph and get out the way."
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) January 22, 2022
Watching that Steph buzzer-beater like pic.twitter.com/6FuY2OFqWk
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 22, 2022
Steph Curry with a season-high 12 assists tonight
Had 7 games of 10 assists this season before tonight
— Grant Liffmann (@GrantLiffmann) January 22, 2022
Technically, I think it's his first. The others have had a little time on the clock. Obviously OKC comes to mind. There was a .01 left in Dallas once https://t.co/lZoRa9SvoV
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) January 22, 2022
Stephen Curry's first career game-winner with the clock going to 0:00.
— Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) January 22, 2022
Steph's game winner but with the Rockets feed: pic.twitter.com/mL75w6003q
— Antonin (@antonin_org) January 22, 2022
MOOD pic.twitter.com/T94lwmM3E7
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 22, 2022
Coming into tonight’s game Steph Curry was posting a 95th percentile 1.22 points per possession on Isolation playtypes (78pts on 54.2% FG with 6.2% frequency).
Wins the game on an iso bucket tonight.
— r/Warriors (@GSWReddit) January 22, 2022
Just a reminder that Stephen Curry is one of the best clutch performers in NBA history.
— Antonin (@antonin_org) January 22, 2022
Jordan Poole with much needed game tonight
20 pts, 2-4 3pt, 3 reb, 3 ast, +18
— Grant Liffmann (@GrantLiffmann) January 22, 2022
Arduous back-to-back for Steph Curry (44 minutes in OT loss to Pacers, 39 minutes vs Rockets, 6/21 FG vs Houston) ends with this buzzer beater to erase frustration pic.twitter.com/szjTPXMgL1
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 22, 2022
Well that will look good on the MVP reel
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) January 22, 2022
Finally https://t.co/gPc19myYZT
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 22, 2022
SC CALLED GAME#BigShot pic.twitter.com/ZBnugxbHln
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 22, 2022
Steph with the walk-off…. 🔥🔥🔥🔥
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) January 22, 2022
#MVP pic.twitter.com/Fo6eZx0wKi
— Warriors Huddle (@WarriorsHuddle) January 22, 2022
That is exactly what #DubNation needed. Don't doubt the MVP Stephen Curry. 💪💪💪
— Dr. Nirav Pandya, M.D. (@DrNiravPandya) January 22, 2022
GAME. @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/1EYyW0HhlR
— ESPN (@espn) January 22, 2022
"Smile mothaf–ka!" 😄@Dami0nLee after @StephenCurry30's game-winner pic.twitter.com/0U81mXuzjA
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 22, 2022
That was Stephen Curry's first career game-winning buzzer-beater
Curry's game-winning buzzer-beater is the first by a Warriors player since Andre Iguodala on Jan. 3, 2014 against the Hawks (which was assisted by Curry). pic.twitter.com/xKZ6PyhBAi
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 22, 2022
Steph Curry. Ice in his veins. pic.twitter.com/WgVsisDL3O
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 22, 2022
STEPH CURRY. GAME!!! pic.twitter.com/SwF7kerZkQ
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 22, 2022
Steph Curry tonight:
— Scored 22 points
— Dished 12 assists
— Made first career buzzer beater
— Sent countless tweets back to the drafts pic.twitter.com/PxPqEWbsU5— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 22, 2022
YESSSSS. STEPH CURRY GAME WINNER 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Did The Warriors Win? (@DidTheWarriorsW) January 22, 2022
"About time I made one!"@StephenCurry30 was hyped after his first buzzer-beater 🙌 pic.twitter.com/h3k6wm4yoX
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 22, 2022
Stephen curry was energized after his game winner lmaooo pic.twitter.com/zmBlTI97f7
— Alex (@dbs408) January 22, 2022
