Kevin Porter Jr. Shines Amid Rockets Loss To Warriors

After missing one game due to a back injury, Kevin Porter Jr. shined amid the Houston Rockets' loss to the Warriors.

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets fought hard against the Golden State Warriors Sunday night, but their efforts resulted in a 127-120 loss inside the Toyota Center.

With the loss, the Rockets dropped their second consecutive game while handing the Warriors their first road win of the 2022-23 campaign.

Kevin Porter Jr. returned to the lineup after missing the previous contest with lower back soreness. He finished the game with a team-best 30 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors in scoring with 41 points on 10-of-13 shooting from behind the arc. 

The Rockets reverted to their first-quarter struggles, which resulted in the Warriors taking a 40-28 lead into the second period. Houston began the game missing six of their first eight shot attempts until Jabari Smith Jr. drilled a triple assisted by Porter. 

Following Smith's 3-point basket, the Rockets shot 58.8 percent from the field the rest of the half to take a 65-60 lead into the break.

Smith scored 14 of his career-high 22 points in the first half. Eric Gordon added 14 points in the loss.

The Rockets continued their solid offensive production during the third period, but Stephen Curry's scoring eruption helped the Warriors take a 97-94 lead into the fourth.

Curry scored 16 of his 33 points during the third quarter. He also added 15 assists and eight rebounds in the win.  

Following the loss, the Rockets will continue their four-game homestand Friday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip-off is slated for 7 P.M. CT inside the Toyota Center.

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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