SAN FRANCISCO – In the finale of a seven-game homestand, All-Star starter Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 24 points, while Otto Porter added 16 and Jordan Poole chipped in with 17 off the bench to defeat the Brooklyn Nets 110-106.
“Andrew was phenomenal tonight,” said Steve Kerr.
The Nets, who just finished the first game of a five-game road trip. Kyrie Irving scored 32 points.
“We want to carry over to the next game in Phoenix,” said Irving.
Irving, who is not vaccinated is allowed to play road games. He was booed during introductions and was booed every time he touched the ball by the fans at Chase Center.
“It’s great having him back. We’ve had so many injuries and interruptions this year, availability issues to add a player to his caliber, even if it’s just on the road has been much needed and great for our group,” Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash said.
Stephen Curry, who broke out of his recent slump to score 29 points in Thursday’s 124-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves went just 5-for-18 from the floor and scored 19 points and was 3-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc.
“He was the guy, breaking down defenders,” said Irving.
This was the 808th career game for Curry, passing Chris Mullin for the most games played in team history.
“Steph has done so many things and there are so many records, that they run into each other,” Kerr said. “I love that particular record just because it signifies his loyalty to the franchise and vice versa, the love-affair that exists between Steph and the Bay. It’s pretty unique. You don’t see this an awful lot.
You think of Reggie Miller in Indiana or Larry Bird in Boston. Kobe Bryant in LA, Tim Duncan and Manu [Ginóbili] in San Antonio, it’s pretty unique, pretty special and I know we take great pride in our organization, in Steph and I think he takes a lot of pride in representing us and the Bay Area. So, that record is a reminder of how lucky we are to have him as our cornerstone of the franchise.”
Klay Thompson didn’t have great offensive night, he went 5-for-14 from the floor and added just 16 points for Golden State, who ended the home stand with a 6-1 record. Their only loss was ta 121-117 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers on January 21.
Thompson hit the biggest shot of the game, when he hit a three-pointer with 12.1 seconds remaining in the game to stretch the Warriors lead up to 107-103.
“Felt amazing,” said Thompson.
That three-pointer was big, Irving hit a 3-point sho to cut the lead down to one with exactly nine seconds remaining. He then committed a foul prior to the ball being inbounded, giving Curry one free throw and the ball.
Thompson put the game on ice, when he hit two free throws after he was fouled by Irving.
James Johnson threw a bad pass that Gary Payton II stole to seal the game for the Warriors.
“Defense is hereditary, got that from Pops,” Thompson said.
Golden State led 74-56 with 6:04 remaining in the third quarter, but the Nets rallied back to take the lead; however, the Warriors came back for their 37th win in 50 games this season.
Poole added six assists and committed no turnovers.
“Jordan is really coming into his own with his role off the bench,” said Kerr.
Former St. Mary’s star Patty Mills scored 24 points for Brooklyn, who are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and have now lost four games in a row.
The Nets, who were able to have Irving rejoin the team were without the services of James Harden, who was forced to sit out the game with bruised hand.
“James’ hand has been bothering him for a few days at least. But he thought it was nothing and then it really flared up this morning when he woke up,” Nash said.
Brooklyn is without former Warriors forward Kevin Durant, who last played on January 15 against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center. He missed his seventh straight game with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and is out indefinitely.
NOTES – The Warriors were without the services of Draymond Green, who remains out with a back injury, Andre Iguodala, who is out with a left hip injury and Nemanja Bjelica missed the game with back spasms.
“Just kind of a day-to-day with thing,” said Kerr about Bjelica.
UP NEXT: Following the seven-game home stand, the Warriors will head to Houston to face the Rockets on Monday and will end the mini two-game road trip on Tuesday night in San Antonio versus the Spurs.
The Nets will return to the court on Tuesday night in Phoenix vs the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center, the second stop on their five-game road trip.
Photo by Warriors/Twitter
