The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets face off for only the second of three matches in this 2025-26 regular season. Golden State entered this contest without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody, Seth Curry, Will Richard or Gary Payton II.
However, the Warriors maintained an 11-point lead throughout the first half. Houston mounted a comeback in the third quarter, starting with a strange play by Draymond Green and Jabari Smith Jr.
With 9:49 left in the third quarter, Smith Jr. was whistled for an offensive foul for a moving screen, which knocked Green to the floor. As he got to his feet to return to the offensive end of the field, the Warriors forward made a surprising decision pull right leg Ahead of the Rockets.
Jabari Smith Jr.’s right ankle, which was caught by Draymond Green, was actually the same ankle that had caused Smith Jr. to miss two games prior to Thursday night’s game. Smith Jr. was questionable coming into the contest due to a sprained right ankle, but was cleared to play after warm-ups.
After missing two games with an ankle injury, Drummond makes a dirty play and tries to throw a Rockets player by the ankle#dubnation pic.twitter.com/JlLzG18Aqf
– Bay Area Super Fans (@Baysuperfans) 6 March 2026
Thursday night’s match is important for both the teams. A win for the Rockets would give them a season series victory while moving them one step closer to clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Warriors are fighting to hold on to the eighth seed, but only have a one-game lead over the LA Clippers for that spot.
Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 34.8 minutes per night. In 50 appearances for the Warriors this season, Draymond Green is averaging 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 26.7 minutes per night.
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