Jalen Green Erupts for 38 as Rockets Beat Warriors 109-94/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Jalen Green scores 38 points with eight 3s in Rockets’ win. Houston ties series 1-1 against short-handed Warriors. Stephen Curry reaches 4,000 playoff points despite loss.
Jalen Green Ignites Rockets with 38 Points in Game 2 Win — Quick Looks
- Bounce Back Performance: Jalen Green hits eight 3s, finishes with 38 points.
- Series Tied: Rockets even first-round series at 1-1 with 109-94 win over Warriors.
- Key Absence: Warriors lose Jimmy Butler early to pelvis injury.
- Sengun’s Double-Double: Alperen Sengun adds 17 points, 16 boards.
- Curry Makes History: Stephen Curry surpasses 4,000 career playoff points.
- Game 3 Shift: Series heads to Golden State for Saturday night matchup.
Rockets Burn Bright in Game 2 as Jalen Green Drops 38 to Even Series
Deep Looks
HOUSTON (April 24, 2025) — Jalen Green silenced any doubts from his rocky playoff debut by delivering a career-defining performance Wednesday night. The 22-year-old guard erupted for 38 points and eight 3-pointers, lifting the Houston Rockets to a 109-94 win over the Golden State Warriors and knotting the first-round Western Conference series at one game apiece.
“I feel like I did a good job of answering back,” said Green. “Tonight was all about being aggressive, getting back to who I am.”
Green had struggled mightily in Game 1, managing just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting. But in front of a roaring home crowd, he came alive—pacing Houston’s offense from start to finish.
Rockets Never Trail
Houston never relinquished the lead and dominated despite a physical, high-emotion contest. Alperen Sengun powered the paint with 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Tari Eason chipped in 14 points off the bench.
“When Jalen and Alpi are in sync, we’re a tough team to handle,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka.
The Rockets found their rhythm from deep, hitting 12 total 3-pointers—eight of which came from Green alone, a sharp contrast to their 6-of-29 shooting effort in Game 1.
Warriors Weakened by Injuries
The seventh-seeded Warriors suffered a significant blow early when Jimmy Butler left the game with a pelvis contusion following a hard foul in the first quarter. Butler, who scored 25 points in the series opener, will undergo an MRI on Thursday.
“Hopefully Jimmy will be able to play,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “If not, we’ll figure something out.”
Stephen Curry led Golden State with 20 points and nine assists, becoming the 11th player in NBA history to surpass 4,000 career playoff points. Despite his efforts, the Warriors trailed by double digits for most of the night.
Brandin Podziemski, a key contributor in Game 1 with 14 points, was limited by a stomach issue and played just 14 scoreless minutes.
Game Gets Chippy
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Warriors cut the deficit to 11 following a 9-0 run fueled by two 3s from Quinten Post. But emotions flared when Green was called for a flagrant foul on Draymond Green, who took an elbow to the face.
Houston responded with an 8-0 burst, capped by a Green step-back 3, extending their lead to 99-80 with just over five minutes left. Draymond picked up a technical foul for arguing, and Eason was T’d up for throwing a towel in frustration.
The crowd roared as Houston maintained control down the stretch, sealing a win that shifts the momentum back in their favor heading into Game 3 on Saturday night in San Francisco.
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