Stephen Curry scored 35 points in a dazzling display as the Golden State Warriors won their play-in game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Curry hit seven three-pointers as the Warriors kept their season alive. Draymond Green also rolled back the years.
In the fourth quarter, Green shut down Kawhi Leonard. The Warriors overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind Curry, who scored 27 points in the second half.
Warriors Recall Golden Era
Curry and Green have already won four championships together during their 14 years as teammates. The Warriors’ game against the Clippers was for the right to face the Phoenix Suns after a trying regular season. Golden State finished eight games below .500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference.
The 126-121 comeback victory evoked the brilliance of the Warriors’ golden era. Coach Steve Kerr said, “For one night, we’re us. We’re champions again. And I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It’s a play-in game. I don’t care. Just absolutely beautiful to watch.” Curry said, “That’s what you live for right there.”
Newcomers Contribute to Victory
The Warriors also received contributions from newcomers Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. Porzingis had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Horford hit four three-pointers in the fourth quarter of just his third game since returning from injury.
Green didn’t score in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors credited him for stifling Leonard.
Curry’s Late Three-Pointer Secures Win
Curry broke a tie with his final three-pointer with 50 seconds left. The superstar was playing just his fifth game since returning from a 27-game absence with a knee injury. He demonstrated exactly why he rejected any notion that he should shut himself down for the summer.
“This is what you work all year for, all summer, offseason,” Curry said. “We’re not guaranteed a [playoff] series yet, but these nights make everything worth it, because you feel the anxiety of having to perform when the lights are bright, do-or-die game. … Considering how our season has gone, all the injuries and all that, for us to play the way we did tonight was special.”
The Warriors’ visit to the Clippers was merely for the right to face the Phoenix Suns.