Houston Rockets defeated the Golden State Warriors 131-116

Facing elimination, the Houston Rockets erupted with a dominant performance to defeat the Golden State Warriors 131-116 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday night. Fred VanVleet led the charge with 26 points, while Amen Thompson contributed 25, and all five starters scored in double digits. Alperen Sengun emphasized the team’s determination, saying, “Nobody wants to go home.”

Houston surged ahead by 29 in the third quarter, prompting Warriors coach Steve Kerr to empty his bench early. Rockets coach Ime Udoka briefly rested his starters before reinserting them after a Golden State run trimmed the lead to 17. Dillon Brooks added 24 points, and VanVleet, an NBA champion with Toronto in 2019, kept morale high. “We’ve played good basketball,” he said. The Rockets' victory forces a Game 6 in San Francisco on Friday, keeping their playoff hopes alive.