For much of the season, and indeed throughout much of the first round of the playoffs, Warriors guard Buddy Hield was valued as both a good shooter and a good locker room presence. The affable Bahamian was jokingly "introduced" to Stephen Curry by Steve Kerr late in the regular season, as a reminder from Kerr to pass the ball once in a while.

Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Buddy Hield scored 33 points, and the Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 103-89 win over the Rockets in Game 7.

The Warriors entered the locker room up 51-39, mostly thanks to 22 points from a red-hot Hield. With the Rockets successfully stifling Batman (Curry) and Robin (Jimmy Butler III), Alfred knocked down six of his seven 3-point attempts before intermission.