The postgame scene was a mixture of pride, disappointment and looking ahead after the Rockets' first playoff appearance since 2020 ended in a Game 7 loss.

But mostly, Buddy Hield played the game of his professional life. Hield poured in six 3-pointers en route to 22 first-half points, accounting for nearly 50% of Golden State's offense through the first two quarters and what could only be described as a sigh-of-relief halftime margin.

Golden State initially held a 3-1 lead but has since lost two straight to Houston, shifting momentum to the home side. It's the second Game 7 between the two squads: They also faced off in a Game 7 in the 2018 Western Conference finals. The Rockets lost that matchup after famously missing 27 straight 3-pointers.