Golden State Warriors’ Splash Bros Have Got Each Other’s Back
By Sumeet Paul
The Golden State Warriors needed to keep their momentum going on Wednesday night, and they did just that with a 105-98 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Stephen Curry had a disappointing night, but as ever, his partner in crime in the back-court, Klay Thompson, had his back and produced when it was needed.
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The Warriors made it five straight wins to move to 51 wins for the season, matching their total from last year with 19 games to go in the regular season. It was yet another milestone for a team that is continuing to evolve under Steve Kerr, and although there was some sloppy basketball at times against Detroit, they were able to get the job done and move on to the next game.
One of the more disappointing aspects of the contest was Curry’s struggles, as although he dished out 11 assists and grabbed five boards, he was held to just nine points after struggling with his shooting.
The MVP candidate was just 4-for-15 from the field and 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, with Kerr putting it down to a bad night at the office as even the Oracle was stunned when he missed an open three.
Yet while Curry struggled, the beauty of this team is that there is seemingly always someone on hand to pick up the slack and in this case it was Thompson. Aside from reaching the 5,000-point milestone in his career, Thompson made key plays down the stretch to make the win safe and he undoubtedly proved his importance to the team yet again.
Mar 11, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a three point basket against Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) during the third period at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Detroit Pistons 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors shooting guard finished the game with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field, and with two late 3-pointers in the space of 69 seconds to take the game away from the Pistons, he ensured that Curry’s struggles didn’t impact on the rest of the team.
Perhaps equally as impressive was his humility after the game. Thompson wasn’t interested in taking the praise for stepping up and leading his team to a win. Instead, he focused attention on the Warriors playing their best basketball for the next three weeks ahead of the playoffs.
It is no secret that if Golden State can secure home advantage throughout the post-season, they will be a tough proposition for any team to overcome. What they do between now and the end of the season will be vital, but they have shown that they have the mental toughness and physical drive to make sure they don’t slip up ahead of a favorable run in the schedule.
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With all the distractions around them including the on-going war of words between Draymond Green and the Los Angeles Clippers, Thompson and Co. kept their minds on the most important thing and that was racking up yet another win in what has been a memorable season thus far.
For some, the focus is still on Curry and the MVP race, but Coach Kerr won’t mind that as it just gives Thompson the space to shine and ensure that the team continues to win.