Chris Paul does not start for first time in his long NBA career as Warriors top Rockets

HOUSTON (AP) — Stephen Curry had 24 points, with four 3-pointers down the stretch, and Klay Thompson added 19 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 106-95 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Draymond Green made his season-debut after missing the first two games with a sprained left ankle. His return to the starting lineup relegated Chris Paul to a reserve role, marking the first time the 12-time All-Star had come off the bench in his NBA career.

Since the NBA began tracking games started in 1982, no player had appeared in more games and started them all than Paul had entering Sunday. Including playoffs, Paul started the first 1,365 games of his NBA career.

The last time Paul didn’t start a game that counted was in college – Dec. 13, 2004, to be exact, when he was slightly late for the team bus and benched for the first 4 minutes of Wake Forest’s game against Temple. Paul started the last 25 games of his college career, and then every game of his 19 NBA seasons until Sunday.

Paul, who checked in with 6:58 left in the first quarter, had eight points and seven assists in 27 minutes after combining for 24 points and 21 assists in Golden State’s first two games this season.

With Paul’s streak now over, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard – who was playing in the 833rd game of his career on Sunday night – now has more starts than any other active player without an appearance as a reserve. Dallas’ Kyrie Irving is next on that list, with all his 748 NBA appearances being starts.

Draymond Green, who coach Steve Kerr said was on a minutes restriction, had four points, five rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes.

Jalen Green had 21 points and Alperen Sengun added 19 for the Rockets, who fell to 0-3 this season.

The Warriors led by as many as 16 before the Rockets began chipping away at the lead.

Houston scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to tie it at 81-81. Paul made a jump shot to put Golden State back on top.

A dunk by Jeff Green tied the game again later in the fourth and Jalen Green put the Rockets ahead with a basket with about 6 1/2 minutes remaining before Curry took over, making four 3-pointers in less than two minutes to power a 15-2 run that gave Golden State a 100-89 lead with about three minutes left.

The Warriors were up by 13 after a 3-pointer by Curry with about seven minutes left in the third quarter.

Houston then scored the next seven points, to start a 14-4 run, that cut the lead to 72-69 with four minutes to go in the quarter. Smith hit a 3-pointer in that stretch and Brooks had four points.

Gary Payton II made a 3 for the Warriors but the Rockets used a 4-1 spurt to get within three points again. This time Moses Moody made a 3-pointer before Jonathan Kuminga made 2 of 3 free throws to push the lead to 81-73.

But Jae’Sean Tate made two free throws at the end of the quarter to cut the lead to 6 entering the fourth.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Visit New Orleans on Monday night.

Rockets: Host Charlotte on Wednesday night as they continue a seven-game homestand.