NBA: Clippers overcome Steph Curry, Warriors
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers battles for the ball with Jordan Poole #3 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the game at Crypto.com Arena on March 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/AFP
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points and Paul George added 24 as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their resurgence with a 134-124 victory over Golden State on Wednesday, as the Warriors’ road woes continued despite 50 points from Stephen Curry.
Terance Mann added 17 points, Eric Gordon had 16 and Russell Westbrook delivered 15 for the Clippers, who extended their winning streak to four games following a five-game losing streak. Ivica Zubac had 19 points and 16 rebounds for Los Angeles.
Curry shot 20 of 28 (71.4 percent) from the field and 8 of 14 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range for the Warriors during his ninth career 50-point game. He scored 21 points in the third quarter alone on the day after his 35th birthday. Jordan Poole added 19 for Golden State, which saw its road losing streak reach nine games.
Kawhi dropped 30 PTS, 8 REB, and 5 AST as the Clippers picked up the home W 💪 pic.twitter.com/01mYmX5F09
— NBA (@NBA) March 16, 2023
Klay Thompson scored 15 points for Golden State in the opener of a five-game road trip. The Warriors are just 7-27 away home this season but are 29-7 at home to currently hold a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Both teams entered with identical 36-33 records, with the Clippers moving a game up on the Warriors in the standings.
The Clippers led 61-58 at halftime following an eventful final minute before the break. Curry’s 3-pointer with 59.9 seconds remaining in the half gave him 10,000 career points from 3-point range alone.
Steph scored 50 tonight as the Warriors fell in LA.
50 points
6 assists
8 threes pic.twitter.com/8YxFpJ8ES6— NBA (@NBA) March 16, 2023
With 40.8 seconds remaining before halftime, Golden State’s Draymond Green was called for a technical foul, his 16th on the season, which would keep him out of the Warriors’ Friday game at Atlanta. Less than 10 seconds later, the Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul when he flailed his arms and made contact across the side of Green’s head.
Also in the first half, Thompson reached 250 made 3-pointers on the season, the third time in his career he has hit the milestone.
