SAN FRANCISCO – Klay Thompson scored a game-high 34 points and Stephen Curry added 32, five players scored in double figures for the 123-107 victory over the Boston Celtics. It was a raucous crowd at Chase Center tonight, in a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals won by the Warriors in six games.
After starting the season 3-7, Golden State (14-13) has won 11 of their last 17 games.
Thompson got off to a hot start, scoring 12 points in the first quarter on 5-for-9 shooting. By halftime, Thompson had 24. He finished 14-for-26 from the field, with four made three-pointers to go with five rebounds. Curry, nailed six three-pointers, shot 12-for-21 from the floor to go along with a team-high seven assists and six rebounds.
The Warriors bounced back nicely after losing 124-123 to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night in which Thompson described the loss as a “collapse” by the team in Salt Lake City.
“It’s always nice to respond with a great performance and we did that tonight,” Thompson said.
Golden State shot a blistering 51-percent (47-of-92) from the field on 26 assists.
“We gutted it out,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “Steph and Klay obviously had it rolling so we were making shots.”
The Warriors improved to 14-0 in the regular season when Curry and Thompson each drop at least 30 points in a game.
Jordan Poole, who went over the 3,000-point plateau for his career tonight with 20 points started in place of injured Andrew Wiggins (abductor strain) despite shooting 5-for-16, including 1-for-9 from downtown. Poole knocked down 9-of-10 free throws. Jonathan Kuminga had 14 points and five rebounds off the bench.
Kevon Looney had seven points to go with a season-high 15 rebounds for Golden State, who held a 53-39 rebounding edge over the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 31 points (16 in the first half) and nine rebounds. Brown shot 13-for-23, while Jayson Tatum had 18 points on 6-for-21 shooting. Malcolm Brogdan added 16 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Cletics (21-6), who won eight of their last nine games, including three straight wins.
After Brown scored five straight points midway through the fourth quarter, including a three-pointer at the 6:37 mark that pulled the Celtics to 105-97. Poole connected with Green for an emphatic dunk that put the game away for the Warriors.
“The crowd was excited. We were excited, just the feeling of going against the team that you just played in the Finals, especially the way they’ve played this year, they’ve just been so good, so dominant,” Kerr said. “I thought we needed a game like that. We’ve been a little bit stuck in the mud.”
Golden State controlled the paint, outscoring the Celtics 46-38 down low. The Warriors smothering defense held the Boston to 43-percent shooting (38-for-87) from the floor and 12-for-40 on three-pointers.
“They tested us,” said Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla. “They forced us to work to make the right play.”
Golden State, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, share the NBA’s best record at home at 12-2, but are a dismal 2-11 on the road. Following tonight’s win, the Warriors embark on a tough six-game road trip through the East beginning Tuesday night in Milwaukee against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.
Photo by Warriors/Twitter
