Stephen Curry had one other sensible sport in his hometown, tossing in 23 factors to tempo the short-handed Warriors to a 115-97 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday at Spectrum Middle.
Andrew Wiggins stayed sizzling with 20 factors, eight rebounds and eight assists. Trayce Jackson-Davis added 18 factors, eight rebounds and three blocks.
The victory was the Warriors’ first in Charlotte since Feb. 25, 2019, and improved Golden State to 3-1 on this five-game highway journey.
Extra importantly, the Warriors (39-34) maintained their grip on the ultimate NBA play-in place within the Western Convention with their win over the Hornets (18-55). The NBA’s hottest group, the Houston Rockets, entered the day trailing the Dubs by one sport.
Like they did two days earlier when Draymond Inexperienced was ejected lower than 4 minutes into the sport, the Warriors gained this one lacking key gamers.
Klay Thompson sat out with proper knee tendinitis whereas Jonathan Kuminga missed his second consecutive sport with left knee tendinitis. Chris Paul bought the beginning instead of Thompson and had 11 factors, 9 assists and 7 rebounds.
Inexperienced, again within the combine after getting kicked out of the Orlando sport on Wednesday, stored his cool and had eight factors and eight rebounds.
Jackson-Davis helped the Warriors get off to a superb begin, notching six factors, two rebounds and a block within the first quarter. Curry later made buzzer-beating 3-pointer to place the Warriors up 50-45 at halftime.
Curry stayed sharp within the third quarter as Golden State prolonged its result in 89-71.
Listed here are the takeaways from Friday’s sport:
Defensive Doings
It took some time for the offense to click on, however fortuitously for the Warriors, their protection remained the tight, safe unit it has been on this highway journey.
Golden State began displaying it early when it allowed simply 17 factors within the first quarter and held Charlotte to 38.5-percent (15-of-39) taking pictures within the first half.
This was the third consecutive sport and eighth time total throughout the 2023-24 NBA season that the Warriors have allowed fewer than 100 factors. They’re an ideal 8-0 in these video games.
Hornets rookie Brandon Miller was stored quiet many of the sport, scoring 12 factors – 5 fewer than his common. Miller was simply 5-of-15 taking pictures.
Selecting Up The Scoring Slack
Thompson and Kuminga have been two of the Warriors’ most constant scorers currently, and with each males on the bench with knee accidents, somebody wanted to select up the slack.
It took a team-wide effort to make up for the 34 factors that Thompson and Kuminga have been averaging mixed. Curry and Wiggins did their half to maintain the beginning unit rolling. Curry is Curry and Wiggins has been enjoying a few of his basketball of the 2023-24 season, in order that was a superb signal.
Jackson-Davis additionally helped along with his best sport in additional than every week, taking pictures 9 of 13 and ending plus-11.
Golden State additionally bought good efforts off the bench from Moses Moody (15 factors) and Kevon Looney (eight factors).
Turnover Troubles Turnaround
One in every of Golden State’s most troubling points in opposition to the Hornets was its unforced errors. The Warriors dedicated 12 turnovers, eight of them within the first half.
Surprisingly, one of many largest offenders was Chris Paul. CP3 threw the ball away 4 occasions, three coming within the first half alone when he tried to pressure the ball inside or tried to push it up the ground.
The turnovers, which led to 18 factors, have been the the first motive the Hornets have been in a position to stick shut within the first half.
Every little thing rotated within the second half when the Warriors did a significantly better job of caring for the ball. Consequently, they have been in a position to rating just about at will, pouring in 65 factors over the ultimate two quarters.
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