NBA playoffs: Warriors take 2-1 lead on Rockets without Jimmy Butler; Aaron Gordon stuns Clippers at buzzer
Tyler Herro didn’t shine after disputing that he was a weak link for Miami
April 27, 2025 at 3:40 AM UTC·15 min read
The NBA playoffs continued Saturday with four first-round matchups, three in the Western Conference. In the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers took a 3-0 series lead over the Miami Heat.
In Saturday’s two Game 4’s, the Oklahoma City Thunder closed out a sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Denver Nuggets tied their series against the Los Angeles Clippers, with one of the closest calls you will ever see, and the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Houston Rockets to take the series lead.
The full slate:
Cavaliers 124, Heat 87, Game 3 (Cavs lead series 3-0)
Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115, Game 4 (Thunder win series 4-0)
Nuggets 101, Clippers 99, Game 4 (series tied, 2-2)
Warriors 104, Rockets 93, Game 3 (Warriors lead 2-1)
Check out Sports’ predictions for each first-round series, in addition to Kevin O’Connor’s ranking of the top 40 players in the NBA postseason.
Here are the results and key takeaways from Saturday’s games:
Warriors 104, Rockets 93
The Houston Rockets didn’t have to worry about Jimmy Butler. They still had to worry about Stephen Curry.
It didn’t work out.
The Warriors took Game 3 in front of a raucous crowd at the Chase Center, erasing a double-digit lead in the second quarter and taking control in the fourth behind yet another show of all-time greatness from Curry.
Curry finished with 36 points on 12-of-23 shooting with nine assists and seven rebounds.
Stephen Curry is one of the greatest players of all time
It really needs to be said: The Rockets tried to stop Curry. Tried.
With Butler out, the Rockets did what pretty much every Warriors opponent did before the trade deadline. They keyed in on Curry and defended with help ready to move in on him. That’s easier said than done, because their might not be a sports experience on Earth more miserable than keeping track of Curry for an entire game.
That’s not to say Curry got no help, though. Beyond swapping out Butler for Jonathan Kuminga, head coach Steve Kerr inserted rookie center Quinten Post into the starting lineup in exchange for Moses Moody. It was a different look that just didn’t work offensively until about the final four minutes of the first half.
At that point, the Rockets were up 12 points and looking on track to beat the short-handed Warriors. Then Curry sparked a 9-0 run to end the half, narrowing the deficit to three. Gary Payton II also had one of his best games of the season, posting 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
And now the Warriors get a day’s rest, as Butler tries to heal in time for Game 4.
Some postgame fun between Draymond Green and Jalen Green
The Warriors’ other longtime star, Draymond Green, also had a good game, but just on defense. as Golden State held the Rockets to 19-of-48 shooting inside the paint.
The other kind of impact he is known for was evident when the final buzzer sounded, as Jalen Green (nine points on 4-of-11 shooting) met him at half-court with some harsh words. The veteran’s response appeared to be telling his opponent to go paint his nails.
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday at 10 p.m. ET in the Chase Center.
Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
There has never been a game-winning dunk this close to the buzzer.
With a fraction of a fraction of a second remaining, Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon dunked teammate Nikola Jokić’s errant 3-point attempt, sealing a surreal win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The win spoiled the Clippers’ 22-point fourth-quarter comeback and evened the series, 2-2.
Officials conferred after the final buzzer, leaving the viewing public in limbo. After several minutes, referee Zach Zarba announced Gordon had juuust released the ball before the clock hit zeroes.
Clippers mount massive comeback
Though the Nuggets led through the entirety of the first half, the Clippers remained close — until the third quarter, when Denver turned its 50-48 halftime advantage into an 85-65 lead entering the fourth.
Jokić scored 16 of his game-high 36 points in the third
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