Rockets even series with 109-94 win over Warriors; Jimmy Butler out with pelvis contusion

HOUSTON -- Jalen Green made eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 109-94 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in a testy matchup to even the first-round Western Conference series at one game apiece.

The seventh-seeded Warriors never led and played short-handed for most of the night after Jimmy Butler left with a pelvis contusion after a hard fall on a foul late in the first quarter.

Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, rebounded from a flop in his playoff debut, when he scored just seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, with a dominant Game 2.

His eight 3-pointers were two more than the No. 2-seeded Rockets made on 6-of-29 shooting in a 95-85 Game 1 loss.

Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets. Tari Eason had 14 points off the bench.

Game 2 is Saturday night at Golden State.

Stephen Curry had 20 points and nine assists for the Warriors and become the 11th player in NBA history to reach 4,000 career playoff points with 4,017.

Houston led by 20 with about 10 minutes left before the Warriors used a 9-0 run, with two 3s from Quinten Post, run to get within 11. Jalen Green was called for a flagrant foul on Draymond Green at the end of that run after he flailed an arm into his face.

The Rockets then used an 8-0 spurt, highlighted by a step-back 3 from Green, to extend the lead to 99-80 with 5 minutes remaining. Draymond Green received a technical foul in that stretch for arguing with officials and Eason received one for throwing a towel in an "unsportsmanlike manner."

The loss of Butler, acquired from Miami in a February trade, was a huge blow to the Warriors after he had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the series opener. On top of Butler's injury, the Warriors were also hampered by Brandin Podziemski's stomach ailment.

He missed most of the first half dealing with the problem and was scoreless in 14 minutes after scoring 14 points in Game 1.

Warriors' Jimmy Butler ruled out with pelvis contusion after fall on foul in 1st quarter

Golden State's Jimmy Butler has a pelvis contusion and was ruled out for the rest of the game after taking a hard fall on a foul by Amen Thompson late in the first quarter against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Butler was injured when Thompson was pushed into his legs as he jumped to try and grab a rebound. Both players crashed to the court in the collision, but Butler stayed down longer than Thompson.

He eventually got up and slowly walked to the other end of the court to shoot free throws. Butler made 1 of 2 and was soon taken out of the game and immediately headed to the locker room.

The team announced his injury and said that he wouldn't return.

Butler, who had three points and two rebounds before leaving, had 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Golden State's 95-85 win in Game 1.

The Warriors also said that Brandin Podziemski was questionable to return after leaving in the first quarter with a stomach ailment. Coach Steve Kerr said before the game that he was struggling with a stomach problem because of something he ate.