BEFORE STEPHEN CURRY went out for his pregame ritual workout in Utah on Feb. 5, he emerged from the visitors locker room at the Delta Center to hug Andrew Wiggins as he was coming off the floor. Wiggins had just learned that he was being traded to the Miami Heat in a five-team blockbuster deal that would send Jimmy Butler III to Golden State.

The Golden State Warriors had a chance to close out the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday night, but they failed to do so, with the Rockets pulling out a 131-115 victory that was not nearly as close as it appeared to be.

Golden State is led by a big three of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, all of whom are on the latter half of their NBA careers. Just before Game 4 of the series, where the Warriors will face the Rockets on Monday at 10 p.m. ET, Curry received a prestigious NBA honor.