© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND – The last time the Warriors hosted the Clippers of Los Angeles, Lou Williams posted 50 points on his way to a career night. Thursday night the Warriors corralled the 15-year NBA vet, holding him to 21 points in a 134-127 win.
“He had a phenomenal game,” Thompson said Thursday afternoon of William’s 50-point performance. “He was just too comfortable. He was out there just-he looked like he was playing pickup. We can’t let him get as comfortable as he was.”
Whatever the Warriors decided to do, it worked. Williams never got going like he did in the last contest and finished the evening only 2-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Klay Thompson, on the other hand, had an almost perfect first half. At halftime, Thompson was 7-for-8 from the field and 2-for-3 from deep, including one right in front of the Warriors bench that put him over 10,000 career points.
Congrats Klay on reaching 10,000 points!!! pic.twitter.com/ShcfsJ5BtG
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 23, 2018
The story pregame was the fact that Steve Kerr decided to start JaVale McGee over Zaza Pachulia at the center position to go alongside Golden State’s four All Stars. It’s the first time in Pachulia’s tenure with the Warriors (118 games) that he has come off the bench and played during a game.
JaVale got his money’s worth in his first start since December 20, leading the team in shot attempts for the entirety of the first quarter. He missed a lob from Kevin Durant early, but connected on another later in the half on his way to four first half points.
Steve Kerr sent Pachulia into the game with four and a half minutes left in the first. The veteran from Georgia battled in the paint right away, earning two trips to the line in his first two minutes of action – knocking down all four foul shots.
The first quarter ended on a high note as Steph Curry knocked down a near half-court shot as time expired in the opening period.
? STOP IT, STEPH! ? pic.twitter.com/Mb9xch58g7
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 23, 2018
Curry’s long-distance splash gave the Warriors an 11-point lead, and Golden State held the Clippers at a comfortable distance for most of the following period.
Stephen Curry wasn’t the only one to show off his half-court accuracy Thursday night. Danilo Gallinari, who has sat out most of the year for the Clippers with a glute injury after joining Los Angeles in the offseason, had a ho-hum first half before knocking down the second buzzer beater of the half.
WHAT A FINISH TO THE 1st HALF!!! pic.twitter.com/5vXbPHMIIO
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 23, 2018
The Warriors had nine less attempts from the field at the half than the Clippers, but thanks to scorching shooting lines of 69 percent from the field and 70 percent from beyond the arc they took a 70-58 lead into the locker room.
The second half saw more of the same. Golden State held the Clippers at arms length for the entirety of the third quarter. And then things got different in the final period.
Behind 12 fourth-quarter foul shots, the Clippers cut the Warriors lead all the way to two at 118-120. But Steph Curry did what he does so well, and kept knocking down huge shots. After only posting seven points in the first quarter, Curry finished with 44 points, including going 8-of-11 from deep.
Next up for the Warriors – Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. PT.