The Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets in their first playoff game.

Stephen Curry played a key role. After the win, Jimmy Butler praised the Warriors star. He highlighted Curry’s impressive skill to make the difference in the game.

© Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesJimmy Butler III #10 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors watch from the bench during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at PHX Arena on April 08, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Golden State Warriors struck first in the NBA playoffs. They earned a hard-fought win over the Houston Rockets in Game 1. The defense played a key role throughout the night, setting the tone early. However, Stephen Curry quickly became the difference-maker on the floor.

 He dominated the game on offense and controlled the pace with confidence. Curry did not carry the load alone. Jimmy Butler also stepped up and made a strong impact on offense. After the final buzzer, Butler spoke to the media to praise Curry’s performance.

“The only person who knows what’s coming out of the organized chaos is the one creating it,” confessed Jimmy Butler over Stephen Curry.

He was the most impactful player on the floor posting 31 points, six rebounds, and three assists. But it was not just about the numbers.

He led the offense with confidence and rhythm. Together with Butler, he formed a duo that overwhelmed the Rockets’ defense.

Nevertheless, Butler did not stop there as he continued praising Curry’s shotmaking: “Like I always say, Batman comes out of nowhere.

You never see him coming, and then he just falls from the sky, from a building, behind a door, and does some incredible things…He’s going to be the reason that we do win it all, we all know that. We’ve got to protect him at all costs.”

Still, the Warriors know the job is not done. This was just the first game, and the Rockets showed they can compete under pressure.

They even were one of the most consistent teams on the NBA Western Cionference. For that reason, Golden State must keep pushing as there is still a long way to go, especially with at least three more games upcoming.

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the NBA game at PHX Arena.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recalls the past explaining Game 1 against Houston Rockets

The Golden State Warriors managed to reinvent themselves in the playoffs. They earned a hard-fought win over the Houston Rockets.

This was not surprising, since Houston plays a very physical and defensive style that always makes things complicated. After the game, head coach Steve Kerr spoke about the final score.

It was lower than usual for today’s NBA. Because of that, Kerr said the game reminded him of how basketball used to be played in the past.

“They’re not a typical modern NBA team, in terms of spreading you out, playing fast, shooting a million threes, they’re kind of old school…

In many ways, they’re in the image of their coach. Ime (Udoka) was a grinder as a player. He was tough and physical, and that’s what Houston is…

In this series, you can see they know where their advantage lies, and it’s playing [Steven] Adams a lot,” stated Steve Kerr.