Stephen Curry's Heroics Not Enough as Warriors Fall to Rockets

Curry's 29 points couldn't lift Golden State past Houston in narrow defeat

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:19am by Ben Kaplan

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Stephen Curry led a furious Golden State Warriors rally, but they fell just short, losing 117-116 to the Houston Rockets on Sunday at Chase Center. Curry finished with 29 points, but missed the potential game-winning shot with about two seconds to go. The Warriors struggled to contain Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, who combined for 55 points for the Rockets.

Why it matters

The Warriors are fighting to avoid the play-in tournament, and a healthy Curry is crucial to their chances of advancing. This close loss highlights the team's need to get Curry more minutes and better integrate him with Kristaps Porzingis down the stretch.

The details

Curry was on a minutes restriction in his return from a runner's knee injury, playing just 26 minutes. The Warriors had little answer for Durant's 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, as well as Sengun's 24 points, including the go-ahead basket late. Golden State's final possession was poorly executed, with Draymond Green's screen failing to free up Curry for a clean look at the potential game-winner.

  • Curry missed 27 straight games with a runner's knee injury before returning on Sunday.
  • The Warriors have 4 regular-season games remaining before the play-in tournament.

The players

Stephen Curry

The star point guard for the Golden State Warriors, who led the team's late comeback effort with 29 points but ultimately came up short.

Kevin Durant

The veteran forward for the Houston Rockets, who scored 31 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists to lead his team to victory.

Alperen Sengun

The young center for the Houston Rockets, who scored 24 points, including the go-ahead basket late in the game.

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What’s next

The Warriors will look to get Curry more minutes and better integrate him with Kristaps Porzingis as they prepare for the play-in tournament. They have 4 regular-season games remaining to fine-tune their rotation and chemistry.

The takeaway

Despite Curry's heroics, the Warriors' loss to the Rockets exposed some lingering issues the team needs to address before the playoffs, including finding the right supporting cast and late-game execution around their superstar point guard.