Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to make seven or more three-pointers in four consecutive games, but it wasn't enough as the Golden State Warriors produced another fourth-quarter meltdown against the LA Clippers on Wednesday night.
Having entered on an equal season-high five-game winning streak, the Warriors' surging momentum appeared like it was continuing when the hosts maintained a 12-point lead two-and-a-half minutes into the fourth-quarter.
Yet defensive lapses, culminating in Klay Thompson's disastrous decision to intentionally foul with 40 seconds left, allowed the Clippers to a 44-point final period that saw them claim a 130-125 win without superstar forward Kawhi Leonard.
The Golden State Warriors' winning streak was snapped despite Stephen Curry's 41 points against the LA Clippers
After an insane, barely believable beyond full-court trick shot from the opposing tunnel in the pregame, Curry continued his recent hot shooting with 18 points in the first-half to lead Golden State to a 59-52 lead at half-time.
The two-time MVP added another 13 points in the third, lifting the Warrior lead to 11 by the end of the period. But an early fourth-quarter altercation proved critical for the Clippers, with the visitors seemingly coming out with an edge after an incident between Brandin Podziemski and Mason Plumlee that saw LA head coach Ty Lue ejected for his second technical foul.
The Clippers almost immediately produced a 17-2 run led by Norman Powell who took advantage of the Warriors help on stars James Harden and Paul George. The 30-year-old had a series of dagger corner threes in the fourth, finishing with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in nearly 31 minutes.
Mason Plumlee was given a Flagrant 1 for this contact to Brandin Podziemski pic.twitter.com/QGsYky4jXQ
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 15, 2024
George fouled out with just over three minutes remaining and the Clippers up one, but the Warriors were unable to take advantage despite another nine threes from Curry that gives him 36 made triples over the past four outings.
The 35-year-old and rookie Brandin Podziemski were a two-man show for Golden State offensively, with the 19th overall pick recording a career-high 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-5 from three-point range.
Podziemski's last three cut the lead to three with 40 seconds left, but Thompson inexplicably fouled Russell Westbrook that sent him to the line with the Clippers in the bonus. The veteran sharpshooter's up-and-down form took another negative turn on Wednesday, with Thompson recording 12 points on 4-of-14 shooting and 1-of-9 from three-point range.
Jonathan Kuminga had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists, but was less effective against the length of the LA wings. Even still, it was the defensive end that hurt the Warriors in the second-half, undoing much of their good work on that end of the floor over recent games.
LA shot 50% from the floor and got to the free-throw line 37 times, while Golden State shot 45.6% and took only 18 free-throws. The Warriors will have another shot to enter the All-Star break on a high, now heading to Utah to face the Jazz again in the second night of a back-to-back on Thursday.