Jimmy Butler helps Warriors secure Game 1 win vs. Rockets - ESPN

HOUSTON — Jimmy Butler sized up Alperen Sengun, milked the shot clock down and hit a turning 19-foot step-back jumper over the Houston Rockets big man with 1:03 left to play.

After Butler's shot sealed Golden State's 95-85 win over Houston in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series, he nodded with confidence in a gesture that let his teammates, including Stephen Curry, know they have another star closer.

In his first playoff game with the Warriors, Butler delivered 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals to give the seventh-seeded Warriors a 1-0 lead over the No. 2 seed Rockets. Butler scored six of his points in the final 1:43 to put the game away.

«There were several moments where they cut the lead,» Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "[But each time we] did a great job of getting Jimmy the ball. It always just settles the offense down. Even that last one, he hit over Sengun. That's what we want. And I think we got to do the better job of making sure we're getting him the ball.

«But overall, he's such a huge calm force for us. Just calms everything down, get us to our spots and get us a good look.»

Butler is the first player to have 25 points and 5 steals in a playoff debut with a franchise since steals became official in 1973-74. He also tied Allen Iverson for the third-most playoff games with 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals.

The Warriors trailed by eight points early after a furious Houston start — punctuated by a Sengun poster dunk on Green — then built a 66-43 lead midway through the third quarter, only to see Houston slice that deficit to three in the fourth.

Butler helped Curry and the Warriors when they needed it the most by making a play to stabilize things on the