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Jonathan Kuminga scored a career-high 33 points, Andrew Wiggins added 23, and the Golden State Warriors secured a 99-93 victory over the Houston Rockets, marking their 15th straight win against them.
With Stephen Curry resting due to sore knees and Draymond Green sidelined with a calf injury, the Golden State Warriors went on a 21-4 run spanning the second and third quarters to seize a lead they never gave up, ultimately ending their five-game losing streak.
The Rockets, aiming to secure their first win against the Warriors since February 2020, got 16 points from Alperen Sengun and 15 from Dillon Brooks in a well-rounded offensive display but ultimately fell to their second straight defeat.
Houston held the advantage for the first 21 minutes of a sluggish first half, leading 42-40, until Moses Moody hit a 3-pointer and Andrew Wiggins converted a 27-footer into a four-point play. This sparked a 9-1 run that gave the Warriors a 49-43 lead at halftime.
The Golden State Warriors holding off the Houston Rockets
The Warriors maintained their momentum after the break, with Wiggins and Kuminga sinking 3-pointers in a 12-3 run that pushed their lead to 61-46. Houston closed the gap to four points twice in the last 1:36, and then pulled within 96-93 on a layup by Sengun with 32.6 seconds to go.
However, Kuminga answered for the Warriors each time, scoring inside, hitting the second of two free throws, and then converting a driving layup with 16.9 seconds remaining, effectively sealing the win for Golden State.
The Warriors secured the win despite shooting only 41.9 percent, while the Rockets finished at 37.6 percent. Kuminga's 33 points surpassed his previous career high of 31, set in January against the Sacramento Kings.
The Warriors defense prevailing
The Rockets struggled against the Warriors, shooting just 37.6 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from three-point range. It's difficult to win games with those shooting numbers. Houston will aim to rebound when they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, December 8.
None of the Rockets' starters managed to shoot over 50 percent from the field, and their backcourt struggled, as Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green shot a combined 9-of-30. The Warriors effectively pressured Houston into taking difficult shots, frequently forcing isolation plays, which the Rockets often fell into.
Brandin Podziemski finished with eight points and 12 rebounds, and Kevon Looney added 11 boards for the Warriors, who are set to play the Rockets in the NBA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Sengun and Amen Thompson each grabbed eight rebounds for the Rockets, with Thompson and Fred VanVleet both recording five assists. Thompson and Jalen Green led Houston with 14 points each, while VanVleet contributed 13.
The Rockets' last victory over the Warriors dates back to February 2020, when Golden State was the league's worst team, and Houston was still led by James Harden and Russell Westbrook — a distant memory now.
