Draymond Green soars for a slam. —AP
HOUSTON—After two days of soul-searching and self-restoration Draymond Green walked into Toyota Center with a promise.
“I’ve got to be poised and I have to be better and we’re gonna come in here tomorrow and get it done,” the Golden State forward told teammates before Sunday’s decisive Game 7 against the Houston Rockets.
And he did.
Green reset his tone and helped lead Golden State to a 103-89 victory that pushed them into the Western Conference semifinals. He kept his composure—no flagrant fouls, no emotional outbursts—and set the tone with a disciplined performance that left even his coach impressed.
“His emotional stability tonight, just his poise from the start—I thought it set a great tone,” said coach Steve Kerr.
It was a stark contrast to Game 6, where Green’s early flagrant foul for shoving Jalen Green spiraled into an “embarrassed” performance.
“I pouted way too much last game,” Green admitted. “I spent the last two days embarrassed—just at what I gave to the game, what I gave to the world.”
To steady himself, he turned to meditation, spa treatments and slow jams from Brent Faiyaz, SZA, and ’90s R&B legends. The fire didn’t leave—he just redirected it.
“I wanted to come out and prove again just who I am—with poise but with the same fire and same tenacity,” he said. “I think I delivered that and gave our guys something to follow.”
That leadership mattered.
Game 7 record
Buddy Hield shouldered the scoring load, draining a Game 7 record nine three-pointers on 11 attempts and finishing with 33 points. Stephen Curry added 22, including 14 in the fourth quarter to close the door on Houston.
The Rockets, despite clawing back from a 3-1 series deficit, stumbled when it mattered most.
“We had our chances,” coach Ime Udoka said. “We all expected to continue to be playing so it’s a letdown.”
Fred VanVleet, instrumental in extending the series with 55 points across Games 5 and 6, managed just 17 on Sunday. Alperen Sengun posted a double-double but went 9-for-23 from the floor.
Still, Sengun saw progress. “We learned how to play together,” he said. “It was a hard series for us … it’s going to make us better next year.”
Jalen Green, the second pick in the 2021 draft, finished with eight points and faced criticism for inconsistency.
“First playoffs is no excuse,” he said. “I’ve got to be better.”
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VanVleet offered support. “Everybody’s journey is different … on the path to greatness, there’s going to be stumbles and failures.” —AP
