Stephen Curry scores 31 points in the Warriors' 95-85 victory over the Rockets 95-85 in Game 1

HOUSTON (AP) — Draymond Green easily boiled down the key to Golden State's victory over the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series Sunday night.

“In order for us to win basketball games it requires Steph Curry to be great,” Green said. “And he was just that.”

Curry scored 31 points and the Warriors built a huge lead and held on to beat the Rockets 95-85.

Curry was 12 of 19 from the field, hitting 5 of 9 3-pointers. He wowed his teammates with a couple of circus shots that caused the bench to go wild.

Jimmy Butler added 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five steals in his playoff debut for the Warriors after joining them in a trade from Miami in February.

“(Curry) just made some amazing plays and obviously carried us offensively along with Jimmy,” coach Steve Kerr said.

The seventh-seeded Warriors led by 23 in the third quarter, but second-seeded Houston cut it to 69-60 entering the fourth.

A basket by Amen Thompson with about 5 1/2 minutes remaining got the Rockets within four. Curry hit his fifth 3-pointer of the night a few seconds later to make it 82-75.

The Rockets cut it to four again with about 2 1/2 minutes left on a 3 by Fred VanVleet. This time Moses Moody hit a 3-pointer to start a 7-0 run that made it 91-80 and sent fans streaming for the exits.

Game 2 of the best-of seven series is Wednesday night in Houston.

The Warriors got the win despite Houston having a 22-6 advantage on the offensive boards.

“I think we can play a lot better,” Green said. “That’s the encouraging part about it. I don’t think we played very well at all.”

It was the 100th career playoff coaching victory for Kerr, who moved into a tie with Larry Brown for sixth-most playoff wins.

“I’m lucky to coach the guys that I do,” Kerr said. “Players win games. It’s our job to try to help them along a little bit here and there.”

The Rockets, who returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, got 26 points from Alperen Sengun in his first career postseason game. But VanVleet and Jalen Green struggled, making just 7 of 34 shots.

“We just didn't execute,” VanVleet said. “Maybe the physicality was an issue, but I thought we matched that for the most part.”

VanVleet was 2 of 13 from 3-point range on a night Houston made just 6 of 29 3-pointers and was 11 for 20 on free throws.

The Warriors got a spot in the playoffs with a 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night in the Play-In Tournament.

They got yet another playoff victory over the Rockets after eliminating them four times from 2015-19.

Curry said this game felt different than those victories since these Rockets are a completely different team than the ones he faced back then.

“Playoff composure and experience in general allows you to kind of withstand the runs a little bit and not get flustered,” he said. “So we rely on that more than any of the history here.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts a 3-pointer against the Houston Rockets during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) and Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) reach for a loose ball during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talks to his team during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) has a pass go off his hand for a turnover while being defended by Houston Rockets' Dillon Brooks (9) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Brandin Podziemski (2) defends Houston Rockets' Amen Thompson (1) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots agasint Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Golden State Warriors' Jimmy Butler III saves the ball from going out of bounds against Houston Rockets' Dillon Brooks (9) during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Moses Moody (4) defends against Houston Rockets' Jalen Green (4) during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) dunks during the second half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Golden State Warriors' Gui Santos, right, and Houston Rockets' Jabari Smith, Jr., front, vie for rebound position during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) scores against Houston Rockets' Tari Eason (17) and Jalen Green (4) during the first half of Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) greets forward Draymond Green (23) before Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets in Houston, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)