Rockets Defeat Warriors in Matchup of Injured Squads

Houston prevails as key players sit out for both teams

Mar. 5, 2026 at 6:55pm

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The 38-22 Houston Rockets defeated the 31-30 Golden State Warriors 108-104 in a matchup of injured squads. The Rockets were led by Alperen Şengün, who had a strong game despite being listed as questionable with an illness. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis, significantly limiting their offensive firepower.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the impact of injuries on both teams, as key players were sidelined for each side. The Rockets were able to overcome the absence of Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. to secure the victory, while the Warriors struggled to generate offense without their top scorers.

The details

The Rockets leaned on their physical style of play to grind out the win, with Şengün orchestrating the offense through post-ups and short-roll passing. The Warriors were unable to match Houston's intensity without Curry's gravity and Butler's scoring punch, flattening into tough, self-created jumpers. The injury report was a major factor, with Şengün, Thompson, and Smith all listed as questionable, while Curry, Butler, and Porzingis were ruled out.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 7:30 PM EST.

The players

Alperen Şengün

A key player for the Houston Rockets who was able to play through an illness to lead his team to victory.

Stephen Curry

The star player for the Golden State Warriors who was ruled out of the game due to injury, significantly impacting his team's offensive production.

Jimmy Butler

The second-leading scorer for the Golden State Warriors who was also ruled out for the rest of the season, further depleting the team's offensive options.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game with all the injuries, but the guys really stepped up and played hard. Alperen was a beast for us tonight.”

— Stephen Silas, Head Coach, Houston Rockets

“Without Steph and Jimmy, it was really tough for us to generate enough offense against a physical team like the Rockets. We'll need to regroup and get healthy before our next game.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors

What’s next

The Rockets will look to build on this win as they continue their push for a high playoff seed, while the Warriors will hope to get their key players back from injury to make a late-season surge.

The takeaway

This game showcased the importance of roster depth and the ability to adapt when key players are sidelined due to injury. The Rockets were able to overcome their own injury concerns and grind out a victory, while the Warriors struggled to find their offensive rhythm without their top scorers.