All it took for the Golden State Warriors to earn one of the best wins of the season was missing three of their top seven, or maybe even six, players. The Dubs led wire to wire in a 120-114 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday night at Chase Center, stymying a series of mini runs in the second half to win with relative comfort.
Stephen Curry scored a game-high 26 points, adding seven rebounds and eight assists while fighting through regular traps and double-teams offensively. Klay Thompson shook off early struggles to come up huge in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 straight points in a span of 90 seconds en route to 22 points—his fourth time surpassing 20 points in the last five games.
The Splash Brothers led the way, but Golden State's win was a true team effort in every sense of the phrase. Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Dario Saric combined for 43 points off the bench, while Moses Moody—starting in place of Wiggins—added 13 points and made multiple game-changing plays on both sides of the ball. Draymond Green stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, his fingerprints all over what might be the Warriors' best win of 2023-24.
It's more than just individual numbers that point to Golden State's renewed focus and controlled intensity against the Clippers, though. The Warriors committed just seven turnovers and finished with 18 personal fouls—stark contrasts compared to Tuesday's disastrous lose-from-ahead loss to the Sacramento Kings. They took more free throws and fouled less than LA, too.
Warriors get crucial win on special night for Big Three
After the game, Thompson, Curry and Green hardly downplayed the emotional significance of playing on 11-30-23, a date the organization made sure was extra special for its dynastic stars. But at least as important on Thursday was the Dubs forcefully bouncing back from among the most deflating defeats of their historic tenure in the Bay.
“It was huge 'cause it's the next game,” Curry said of the win. “That's how the NBA is built. Obviously it was a disappointing loss [to the Kings], but the worst thing you can do is not learn a lesson and just dwell on it and not turn the page.”
The Big Three stayed on the floor late at Chase Center, collectively taking part in a post-game TV interview normally reserved for a single player after wins. They clearly didn't mind soaking in the aura of a night that honored their playing careers while they're still chasing more championships.
Thompson even got sentimental recalling his ACL and Achilles tears in back-to-back years, thanking Curry and Green for helping him get through some of the toughest times he's ever faced.
“I appreciate these two. Those were some dark days, that might've been an understatement at times,” he said. “I'm so grateful for Steph and Draymond holding it down when I was out for two and-a-half years, and to be back with these guys, I do not take that for granted. To be playing in front of these fans, to even see 11 jerseys in the crowd, it still gives me chills to this day. I'm very grateful to be out here and feeling great and feeling healthy.”
Dubs TV announcers Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike were ready to end their on-camera interview with Curry, Thompson and Green after a few minutes. But Green took over the broadcast as he and his longtime teammates were being bid farewell, feeling the urge to stress one more time just how much 11-30-23 meant to them—especially given the intentional efforts of the franchise to make it happen.
“To our organization: Like, this is special, man,” he said. “I never thought of 11-30-23 date. I know our organization went to bat with the league for us to get this game on this day to celebrate us. So to Joe Lacob, Peter, Raymond Ridder, Kirk Lacob, the guys who were in the trenches to make this game happen for us, I just want to thank them because this is special. I'm at a loss for words.
“This is a special feeling and I'm very thankful for it,” Green continued. “Thank you to everyone in our organization who made this happen.”
What no doubt made the Big Three's early coronation even more special? It came on a night when the previously struggling Warriors—down three key high-end rotation players, remember—showed they still have what it takes to be contenders, more than a decade after Curry, Thompson and Green first took the floor together.
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