Fred VanVleet and the Houston Rockets ran out of gas.
After a couple of epic performances to force a Game 7, the former Toronto Raptors point guard cooled off Sunday night as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets 103-89 to eliminate them from the playoffs.
VanVleet scored 17 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 3 assists on 6-for-13 shooting in 44 minutes. However, the Rockets collectively struggled to find offense. The Warriors were simply too much and pulled away for the win.
For the Warriors, Buddy Hield was ultimately the difference maker. He scored 33 points on 9-for-11 shooting from three. Meanwhile Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler combined for 42 points in the win. The starters picked up the slack for a Warriors second unit that just scored 3 points combined.
The Rockets season is now over. They took a massive leap this year, finishing second in the Western Conference. VanVleet did shine in moments during the playoffs, but overall he had a down year statistically. The Rockets hold a team option for next year, but they are expected to negotiate a long-term extension on a restructured deal that would bring VanVleet back on a lower salary cap figure.
It should be an interesting offseason for the Rockets. They are one of the teams that have been linked to Kevin Durant. After a postseason exit like this where their offense stalled, the Rockets could be aggressive and trade for a No. 1 option like Durant.
The Warriors will now take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals.
Former Raptors Kawhi Leonard & Norman Powell fall in Game 7 to Nuggets
Former Toronto Raptors champions Norman Powell and Kawhi Leonard found themselves in a Game 7.
L.A. took a first quarter lead, then it all came crashing down, getting outscored 37-21 in the second quarter. Ultimately, the Nuggets came away with a dominant 120-101 win.
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