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All series long, the Houston Rockets have made it a point to rough up the Golden State Warriors and prevent them from running roughshod with their three-point centric attack. They are putting two defenders on Stephen Curry on nearly every possession, freeing up plenty of opportunities for the Warriors' supporting cast to do damage. And in Game 7, Buddy Hield answered the call and popped off for 33 points on nine made triples, proving to be the biggest difference-maker in a 103-89 win that books the Warriors' place in the next round of the playoffs.
Hield has a tendency to run hot and cold, and thankfully for the Warriors, he was on point from beyond the arc in Game 7 and was a force to be reckoned with — reminiscent of the way Klay Thompson complemented Curry quite perfectly. And in going berserk from beyond the arc, Hield tied the record for most made threes in a Game 7, with nine (a record that Donte DiVincenzo set in the New York Knicks' Game 7 loss to the Indiana Pacers last year), as pointed out by ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel.
Heading into Game 7, no one was sure what version of Hield the Warriors would be getting in what could have been their final game of the season. Hield couldn't buy a bucket in Game 6, going scoreless on four shot attempts on a night where the Dubs desperately needed another reliable shot-maker considering how clamped up the Rockets had Curry.
In fact, during the Warriors' first two closeout games, Hield was nowhere to be found, with the 32-year-old guard shooting 20 percent from the field in those contests. But today, Hield clearly woke up on the right side of the bed and had the game of his life at the exact moment the Warriors needed him to come alive.
Warriors to face Timberwolves in the next round of the playoffs
The Timberwolves are another team that has a distinct size and athleticism advantage over the Warriors, and Minnesota can make life hell for Golden State and muck up the series similarly to how the Rockets did. But this time, the Timberwolves have a legitimate superstar on the perimeter in Anthony Edwards with a supporting cast that is more consistent offensively than the Rockets' ever was.
But the Warriors have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, three of the most battle-tested playoff veterans of the past decade. Entering the series, the Timberwolves might be favored a bit, but no one should be surprised if the Warriors do escape what would be a bloodbath of a series.
