Sengun’s last-second finish stuns Warriors in 117-116 thriller

Houston walks out of Chase Center with a win that had every ingredient of a classic: a double-digit swing, superstar shot-making, and a final-possession finish. The Rockets beat the Warriors 117-116 on Sunday night, erasing a 15-point deficit and surviving a furious Stephen Curry charge in the final minutes. For much of the second half, Golden State looked like it had steadied the game; instead, Houston kept leaning on Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, then made one final play when it mattered most.

The opening quarter belongs to Golden State, which comes out sharper and more physical, taking a 31-26 lead behind early pace and ball movement. But Houston starts to chip away late in the first, and a 13-0 swing changes the tone quickly. Aaron Holiday buries a 27-foot three off Sengun’s second assist of the night, and suddenly the Rockets are pushing the tempo and forcing the Warriors to defend for the full clock. That run is the first hint that Houston is not just hanging around — it’s finding rhythm.

Golden State answers in the second behind its own surge. Brandin Podziemski knifes in for a cutting layup off Draymond Green’s pass, part of an 11-0 home run that flips a 33-40 deficit into a 42-40 lead. But Houston keeps landing counters. Amen Thompson’s turnaround jumper in the lane helps steady the Rockets, and by halftime the visitors have reclaimed control at 55-53. The third quarter is where Houston fully seizes the game. Jabari Smith Jr. spaces the floor with threes, Sengun punishes switches in the post and short roll, and the Rockets stretch the margin to 15 at one point. Sengun’s turnaround hook is part of an 8-point burst that pushes the lead to 71-60, and the Warriors suddenly look like the team reacting instead of dictating.

Then Stephen Curry turns the fourth quarter into a showcase. Down the stretch, every possession feels accelerated. At 4:02, Curry drills a 28-foot three with Draymond Green picking up his ninth assist, cutting the margin to 109-104. Less than a minute later, Podziemski jumps a passing lane for a steal, and the building starts to buzz. Dillon Melton answers with a three off Green’s 10th assist, but Durant quiets the crowd immediately by stepping into a 27-foot bomb at 2:10 to make it 112-107 Houston. Golden State keeps coming anyway. Gary Payton II finishes a cut at 1:55, Curry slips behind the defense for a finger-roll layup at 1:27, and then at 0:57.8 he launches from 32 feet and splashes another massive three to pull the Warriors within 115-114.

That sets up the closing sequence. Payton scores again on a cut at 0:19.6 to give Golden State a 116-115 lead, and for a moment the comeback seems complete. But Houston has one more response, and it comes through the two-man game that carried so much of the night. Durant finds Sengun cutting to the rim at 0:11.1, and the big man finishes the layup for the final margin. Golden State gets no clean answer on the other end, and the Rockets escape with a one-point road win after absorbing all of Curry’s late fireworks.

Durant’s line — 31 points, eight rebounds, eight assists — is the star turn, but Sengun might have been even more important in the flow of the game. He finishes with 24 points, six boards and seven assists, repeatedly making the right read when Golden State tried to bring help. Curry pours in 29 points in just 26 minutes, drilling five threes and nearly stealing the game with sheer shot-making. Jabari Smith Jr. adds 23 points and nine rebounds with five triples, while Draymond Green’s 12 assists keep the Warriors alive as a playmaking hub. But Houston’s closing execution is the difference: the Rockets make the last read, the last cut and the last finish.

This result matters. Houston leaves with a statement road win in a high-leverage Western matchup, and the Rockets show they can withstand a superstar avalanche without losing composure. For Golden State, it’s a painful one-point loss after a comeback that should have been enough. If these teams meet again with playoff positioning on the line, this one will loom large — because Houston proved it can win the shot-making war and the possession game at the same time.