NBA: Warriors trounce Clippers to snap five-game slide
Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half during an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on March 08, 2022 in San Francisco, California. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images/AFP
Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole combined for 41 points off the bench and the Golden State Warriors found their first-rate defensive form in a 112-97 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Kuminga led all scorers with 21 points, Poole and Klay Thompson ran up 20 apiece, Stephen Curry had 15 and Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 14 as the Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak.
this dime was special @StateFarm || Assist of the Night pic.twitter.com/McrDr8Ppc1
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 9, 2022
Golden State’s star power returned to the lineup after Thompson, Curry and Wiggins were given the night off Monday as the Warriors lost at Denver.
Nicolas Batum had a team-high 17 points for the Clippers, whose point total was the lowest for a Golden State opponent since a 132-95 win at Portland in the Warriors’ first game after the All-Star break. Los Angeles dropped its second game in a row.
Golden State had allowed an average of 122.6 points during the five-game skid.
After holding 21 of their first 48 opponents under 100 points, going 35-13 over that span, the Warriors had been scorched for 100 or more in 15 of 17, going 8-9, before Tuesday’s effort.
The Clippers, who had scored 142 and 132 points in two of their last six games, were limited to 35.5 percent shooting and 12-for-39 success (30.8 percent) on 3-point attempts.
Coming off a 116-93 home loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday, the Clippers played Golden State evenly at 21-21 for a quarter before the Warriors gradually seized command.
Poole scored 13 points in the second quarter, during which Golden State built as much as a 20-point lead.
Jordan Poole
sheeeesh📺 @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/NVSxsMZ5vy
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 9, 2022
Kuminga finished the night 7-for-12 from the field while Poole went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, helping the Warriors shoot 47.8 percent overall and 38.2 percent (13 of 34) from long distance.
Wiggins completed a double-double with a career-high-tying 11 rebounds. Curry had five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Rookie Moses Moody was a sixth Warrior in double figures with 10 points as Golden State, which returns to Denver for a rematch on Thursday, was able to prevail on the second night of a back-to-back set.
Marcus Morris Sr. and Luke Kennard backed Batum with 11 points apiece for the Clippers, while Isaiah Hartenstein, Brandon Boston Jr. and Rodney Hood dropped in 10 each.
Held without a field goal on six attempts while totaling four points in all, Ivica Zubac was the leading rebounder for the Clippers with nine. Reggie Jackson compiled a game-high seven assists on a night when he shot 2-for-14 and totaled just five points.
