Stephen Curry’s message ahead of Game 7 is as clear as it gets: take more shots. With the Golden State Warriors now facing elimination after dropping two straight games to the Houston Rockets, Curry isn’t looking for hero-ball or miracle passes—he wants the 12 Warriors on the roster, everyone not named Jimmy Butler, to be aggressive and help him carry the offensive load. And it just might be the solution Coach Steve Kerr needs against a Houston team that no longer looks afraid. What proves it?

Well, Fred VanVleet once again turned the Chase Center into his proving ground. Back in 2019, he torched the Warriors in the NBA Finals to help the Raptors win a title. Six years later, he delivered what may be the best game of his career—again in San Francisco. His 29-point, 8-assist, 8-rebound masterclass in Game 6 silenced the crowd and evened the series at 3-3. Phenomenal, right?

VanVleet’s poise has been vital for a Rockets team full of first-timers in the postseason. “Game 1 was full of jitters,” he said. “Game 3 was similar. But once you get that initial shock out of the way, we’ve been able to execute and play our game.”

The Warriors, meanwhile, unraveled late in Game 6, missing 13 straight shots in the fourth quarter. Evidently, their fourth-quarter collapse marked a concerning shift for a team built on veteran experience. Coach Kerr admitted frustration seeped into the locker room: “We can’t afford that in Game 7.”

Curry’s message to the 12

This series isn’t being lost on the defensive end. In fact, Draymond Green has arguably delivered his most locked-in defensive performance of the season. As he broke it down on his podcast, the key to his game was reading instincts and trusting film: “You start to figure out what they like to get to… I couldn’t quite find my rhythm offensively. So, what are you going to do to impact the game? For me, that was like, I’m going to try to get every stop.”

But one thing was clear watching Golden State’s offense crumble late: there’s too much hesitation. Stephen Curry, constantly hounded and blitzed, needs help—and not just ball movement. He needs volume. And of course, he needs the Warriors to shoot the ball.

Curry’s demand isn’t about efficiency anymore—it’s about mentality. If the Warriors are going to survive in Game 7, they’ll need to match the Rockets’ aggression with a wave of confident shot-making from everyone in unison. Provided that there is something as clear as a summer sky!

The Rockets have proven they aren’t rattled. Moreover, their youth has given them an edge, and their defense has been disciplined under Ime Udoka’s guidance. “Our awareness and physicality has improved,” Udoka said, praising the veterans for keeping the young core composed. “Defence travels.”

Yet Game 7 in Houston will be the ultimate test. Curry and Draymond have five Game 7s under their belt. Jimmy Butler—ironically, the only Warrior excluded from Curry’s “12”—has four. The question isn’t about experience anymore. It’s about execution under fire. Draymond Green said it best: “Everybody will be excited. It’ll be hyped in there. It’ll be loud. Then the game starts, and there’s just basketball.”

If that basketball includes a dozen Warriors not hesitating to shoot, Curry’s demand will be met. And it might just save the Golden State’s season.