Stephen Curry heats up with Jimmy Butler out, scores 36 as Warriors beat Rockets 104-93 for 2-1 lead

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Playoff Steph delivered while Playoff Jimmy became his biggest cheerleader on the bench, dressed in a full-length fur coat.

Stephen Curry eventually found his shooting groove while Houston tried everything to stop him, finishing with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Rockets 104-93 on Saturday night without Jimmy Butler for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

“To play 41 minutes against that kind of defense, to have a slow start and then find his rhythm, which we have seen him do countless times over the years, to hit big shots, to only turn it over twice against that kind of pressure, he was brilliant,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Buddy Hield had 17 points off the bench with five 3-pointers as the Warriors won their sixth straight Game 3 in the opening round. Gary Payton II scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“To see everyone step up in his absence was huge,” Draymond Green said.

Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night at Chase Center. The biggest question will be whether Butler can heal in time to contribute.

The Warriors missed their do-everything forward after he suffered a pelvic injury and deep gluteal muscle contusion in a hard fall during Game 2.

“You’ve got one task,” Curry said of the team coming together with Butler out. “Hopefully he’s back next game, or if he’s not we can still play at a high level, we can win a tough, physical playoff game. I think we all know, we’re trying to win 14 more of these. We need Jimmy to do that.”

Fred VanVleet hit consecutive 3-pointers and had a three-point play to score Houston’s initial nine points and wound up with 17. Alperen Sengun added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Warriors figured out how to create better space for Curry, who has 4,053 career playoff points and passed Tony Parker (4,045) for 10th most in NBA history.

The 37-year-old star missed his three 3-point tries in the opening period as Golden State went 2 for 13 from long range, finally connecting from deep 5:16 before halftime. His 13-point second quarter helped pull Golden State within 49-46 at the break after trailing by 13.

“I thought the key to the game was the way we closed the second quarter,” Kerr said.

Dillon Brooks fouled out with 3:47 left a day after he defended Amen Thompson’s foul on Butler that led to the injury and called Green a “dirty” player.

Thompson, Brooks and all the Rockets were booed during pregame introductions.

Then Brooks fouled Curry 11 seconds into the game. He picked up his second foul at the 5:24 mark of the first quarter, delighting the crowd. The fans were equally thrilled when Sengun drove to the basket and badly missed when trying for a one-handed slam late in the first. Brooks had four fouls by halftime.

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