The Golden State Warriors suffered a narrow defeat against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, revealing that the franchise can remain competitive even without Stephen Curry on the floor.
Stephen Curry exited Wednesday’s matchup early due to lower back discomfort after converting his opening three-pointer, forcing the Warriors to play the contest without their longtime offensive engine. Backdoor Podcast reported that the 38-year-old player will require workload management moving forward, including skipped back-to-backs, fewer minutes, or potential weeks in the infirmary as his body presents the bill.
The sudden departure tested the depth of a Golden State squad currently sharing an identical 8-3 record with Houston at this early juncture of the regular season.
The game opened with a ceremonial center-court embrace between Curry and Kevin Durant, former teammates who secured championship titles together in the Bay Area in 2017 and 2018. While Durant immediately imposed his rhythm for the Rockets by reaching double figures in the opening quarter, Curry’s early exit threatened to derail the visitors completely.
Alperen Sengun punctuated an early Houston surge with a powerful dunk off a Durant feed, while returning guard Fred VanVleet added a trademark high-arc buzzer-beater to push the hosts ahead 31-16 after the first period. Golden State responded in the second quarter behind forward Yaxel Lendeborg, whose scoring output kept the visitors within striking distance by halftime.
Yaxel Lendeborg anchored the Warriors’ offensive response in Curry’s absence, pacing the team in scoring against the Rockets. The Dominican-born forward arrived in professional basketball at age 24 following a standout college tenure, producing an opening-month scoring average not witnessed in Golden State since the era of Wilt Chamberlain.
Lendeborg showcased his scoring repertoire during the second quarter by converting multiple long two-pointers, including a jumper directly over Durant. Despite Lendeborg’s efforts and free-throw shooting that reduced the deficit to six points heading into the final period, the Warriors ultimately ran out of momentum.
The fourth quarter belonged to Houston guard Reed Sheppard, who ignited the home crowd with three consecutive three-pointers, capped by a catch-and-shoot perimeter jumper. VanVleet added a deep three-pointer that extinguished any remaining hopes of a Golden State comeback, prompting Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to empty his bench and concede the matchup to garbage time.
Tensions flared late in the third quarter when Marcus Smart was ejected following an attempted strike toward Warriors center Charles Bassey during a physical rebound battle underneath the basket.
Beyond the active rotation, the Warriors continue to manage long-term roster adjustments following the retirement of 31-year-old center Kristaps Porzisngis, who stepped away from the sport due to persistent injury setbacks. Meanwhile, veteran forward Jimmy Butler remains sidelined following a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in January, with organizational timelines pointing toward a return between January and February.
For Houston, head coach Ime Udoka has constructed a versatile rotation that displays resilience beyond pure Durant reliance. The Rockets utilized strong bench contributions and defensive intensity from players like Amen Thompson—who finished with 19 points on an 8-for-11 shooting night—to secure the victory and signal their intent in the Western Conference playoff picture.
