Sunday night was a statement win for the Golden State Warriors. They didn’t win, they dominated Houston, walking away with a 103-89 victory in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series. With that, the Warriors punched their ticket to the next round. But what really made this one special? It was yet another chapter in the Warriors’ playoff dominance over Houston. “In the Steph Curry era, the Warriors are now 5-0 in playoff series against the Rockets. They’ve closed out the last three of those in Houston,” noted Anthony Slater of The Athletic. And while the win turned heads, it especially left Charles Barkley eating his words.

Heading into Game 7, Barkley wasn’t buying into the Warriors’ hype. In fact, he went the other way. On NBA on TNT, he said, “I think they blew this series last game… They had to win that Game 6 at home…. I think the Rockets are going to win tonight.” However, that prediction didn’t age well.

The Warriors shut that down fast—and even earned praise from Barkley. “Give the Warriors credit for keeping the tempo down low,” he admitted after the game. Barkley spared no criticism on what really went wrong for the Rockets. “Man, it’s the Rockets. If they don’t get an offensive rebound or a layup, they cannot shoot a lick forever and please a good shooter for the rest of these boys.”

Then again, that night exposed a season-long issue. “They can’t shoot. I mean, they’ve been like this all season,” Barkley said bluntly. “A man, get in the gym and work on your craft… just go shoot. Damn. It’s embarrassing.” Even when Kenny Smith hinted a blowout was on the table, Chuck didn’t flinch. And when Ernie Johnson said shooting can’t be fixed mid-game, Barkley still had a reply: “No, play at a faster pace.”

Finally, that was really the breaking point. “But the game they play the last three games, when they start a game five, they play faster. They were getting a bunch of lift and offensive rebounds,” Charles Barkley explained. “But the game is so slow. They just look bad offensively.” And end it did: in a rout. The Rockets never found their rhythm, and the Warriors made sure of it.

Charles Barkley witnessed the Warriors dodge a total meltdown in Houston

Well, for starters, they almost didn’t. Golden State came dangerously close to coughing up a 3–1 series lead, but when it mattered most, the vets stepped up and silenced the Rockets’ surge with a 103-89 Game 7 win. It wasn’t just about closing the door—it was about slamming it with authority. The Warriors leaned into their experience and deep shooting game to wrap up the first-round thriller 4–3, surviving a scare that could’ve easily ended their postseason dreams.

What really made the difference? Buddy Hield went off. He dropped 33 points and nailed nine threes—more than the entire Rockets team combined. That kind of heat check set the tone. Stephen Curry, meanwhile, did what stars do—he scored 13 of his 22 in the fourth quarter to keep things sealed. And don’t forget Jimmy Butler, who added a solid 20. For Houston, Amen Thompson put up 24 in a valiant effort, while Alperen Sengun battled his way to a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double. But still, it wasn’t enough.

Then again, numbers don’t lie. The Rockets shot just 40.5% from the field and turned the ball over 11 times, more than they made threes, which sat at a brutal six. That’s right, Hield alone had more triples than the entire Houston squad. Golden State hit 18 threes on the night; Houston only attempted 18. That kind of shooting gap was impossible to ignore.

So now what? The Warriors move on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West semis, with Game 1 set for Tuesday. And get this—it’s just the third time since 1984 that a No. 6 and No. 7 seed will square off in a playoff series. Buckle up. This ride isn’t slowing down anytime soon.